Raiders News: Patrick Graham Vouches For Maxx Crosby As Defensive Player Of The Year
NFL Defensive Players of the Year include Cleveland’s Myles Garrett, T.J. from Pittsburgh. Dallas’ Watt and Micah Parsons lead the way. But by all accounts, Las Vegas Raiders star Maxx Crosby deserves to be in this conversation as well. Crosby has more tackles than any player with at least 10 sacks and leads the league with 21 tackles for loss. The team’s lack of success may have kept Crosby from chasing the award, but there’s no doubt he’s one of them. . One of the best defensive players in the NFL and Raiders defensive coordinator Patrick Graham believes he deserves this award. “I think he’s the most disruptive defensive player in the league,” Graham said. “He focuses on the run and the pass and can still make plays: tackles for loss, pressures, QB hits, sacks. “And the special thing that I always talk about with him is that he takes on the role of Superman in terms of putting on the cape and playing behind the scenes. I mean, it’s the screen, he’s chasing the quarterback, he’s running. He’s a playmaker, so you know the focus is on him every week. He knows, embraces it and still plays.
It’s truly amazing that Crosby has done what he’s done for the Raiders over the past few seasons despite getting so much attention every week and having a few players to take the pressure off him. Graham also noted Crosby’s growth as a leader and the caliber of his teammates. “It speaks to who he is as a person, it speaks to who he is as a player and with his teammates because he’s definitely raised the bar for his teammates,” the Raiders coordinator added. “AP [Antonio Pearce] talked about it because everyone is trying to match their intensity level. “That’s the impact he has on this locker room, on this organization and, I think, on the fan base. I can see it; I can’t speak for him. But who do you think is more precious than him?
The football world is finally starting to show Crosby the respect he’s deserved for so long, and it’s safe to say another All-Pro moment won’t come his way this season. But while the Raiders star deserves Defensive Player of the Year honors, he still doesn’t plan to.
