Maxx Crosby on Frustration of Raiders Missing Playoffs: 'I'm Sick of That S--t'

Defensive end Maxx Crosby is ready for his Las Vegas Raiders to make some noise in the playoffs.

"Every single day, I come in here, I think about winning. I don't do this year 'round to come in and not make the playoffs—I'm sick of that s—t. And I want to keep winning," Crosby told reporters Thursday. "I want to get back in the playoffs. I want to be in Cincinnati on the road in a hostile environment—that's why I play the game. That's why I work the way I work. I come here and I do this all year. And, like I said, I want to win championships. I want to be at the top of the game. I want to be the No. 1 guy, regardless of position. But I work for that every single day."

The Raiders have made the playoffs only twice since losing to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Super Bowl XXXVII.

Crosby is a rising star who racked up a career-high 12.5 sacks and an NFL-best 22 tackles for loss last season, but Las Vegas has a steep climb into the postseason in an AFC West that features the reigning Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs.

Crosby told reporters at his press conference he is "trying to be my best version of myself and lead by example."

That example will be important for the Raiders' defense next season. Although the team hopes it has found answers on offense by replacing quarterback Derek Carr with former San Francisco 49ers' star Jimmy Garoppolo, questions still surround the team's defense.

Despite Crosby's Pro Bowl season, the Raiders finished last in the NFL in takeaways in 2022. That's the fourth time in five campaigns the Las Vegas defense has ranked among the bottom four teams in the league in the statistic.

The Raiders have since added veteran cornerback Marcus Peters to their defense. Crosby, who said he has known Peters since his rookie year, described the 2015 Defensive Rookie of the Year as an "alpha" after Saturday's practice (h/t The Athletic's Vic Tafur.)

"I love Marcus, he brings that attitude that we need in the secondary, and I can't wait to see him get out there and keep competing because he's a dog for sure," Crosby said.

Las Vegas will hope the veteran influence of Peters and Crosby will help their defense force more turnovers and help return the team to the postseason. The Raiders last travelled to the playoffs in 2021, when Crosby recorded 1.0 sacks and six combined tackles as the Raiders lost a Wild Card game to the Cincinnati Bengals.