The Las Vegas Raiders appear to be trying to do some damage control regarding edge-rusher Maxx Crosby’s situation.
The Raiders issued a public statement one day after Crosby allegedly stormed out of the team’s facility after being told he would sit out the final two games of the season.
In a full statement, the team announced that Crosby was being placed on injured reserve “after deliberate and thorough consultation with multiple top medical professionals.”
“Maxx is the ultimate warrior, and he has fought extremely hard to compete each week with his teammates since injuring his knee midseason,” the statement added.
The biggest reason the Raiders have to try to clarify the situation is to fight off the tanking allegations. The Raiders will get the No. 1 pick if they lose their final two games, and many felt it was no coincidence that they chose now to end Crosby’s season.
Crosby’s supposed reaction only seemed to further the narrative that he is healthy enough to play, and that the Raiders are the ones holding him back. Coach Pete Carroll tried to downplay that after initial reports framed the situation as Crosby storming out on the team in frustration.
It does not help that Crosby belittled the prospect of tanking earlier this week, either.
Crosby’s knee injury is legitimate, but he has been playing through it for weeks. Perhaps he would still be doing so if the Raiders were chasing a playoff spot, but it is logical for the team to handle it this way, even if it looks bad.
Despite battling through injuries, Crosby still collected 10 sacks through 15 games, marking the fourth time in his career that he has reached double-digit sacks.