Maxx Crosby Reveals Steph Curry’s Unlikely Influence in Pursuing College Football Mission With Alumni

Maxx Crosby, the Las Vegas Raiders’ dominant defensive end, has been in the middle of NFL news this offseason for a variety of reasons, both on and off the field. First is the comeback tale: following a 2024 season shortened by a persistent ankle injury, Crosby had surgery in December and committed himself to a rigorous, five-month rehabilitation. He was back at Raiders’ offseason training in May, calling the experience “the best feeling on the planet”, reigniting the same passion he felt as a kid, eager to get back to frightening quarterbacks.

He also spoke recently about his former head coach Jon Gruden’s highly publicized departure from the Raiders, recounting a raw, emotional account of visiting Gruden immediately after the incident. Despite the theatrics, Crosby is thankful for the chances Gruden provided him and is hopeful for his future and that of his former mentor. New chapter and all, Crosby’s tale unexpectedly took a sweet, sentimental turn this spring. Still dominating in the NFL, he became history’s first receiver to take on a special off-field position at his old school, Eastern Michigan University.

In an interview with Johnny Manziel on the 12th of June, Maxx Crosby discusses at length his new role within the CFB arena. “Eastern [Michigan] is the only team that gave me an offer and gave me an opportunity, so you know I’ve obviously given a lot back to the school, and it’s something that just kind of came about.” He’s the first active NFL player to be an assistant general manager for a college football team. A man already a four-time Pro Bowler, a sack master, and the NFL’s highest-paid non-quarterback (at least until Myles Garrett surpassed him), now rolling up his sleeves to assist in building the future of the program that built him.

Crosby states, “It kind of started with Steph Curry like he started with Davidson, another smaller school and now he’s in that role helping them out and NIL basis and recruiting deal.  So I started talking to our AD a little bit, we’re super close, my head coach is still there been there over 10 years.” When Golden State Warriors superstar Steph Curry entered an advisory role with his former school, Davidson College, it wasn’t merely a nice gesture. It was a blueprint. Curry became a recruitment agent, contributed to the future of Davidson basketball, and demonstrated what it means to give back, particularly during the NIL era, where now legends and players can truly influence the next generation.

For Crosby, Eastern Michigan University is not just a college—it’s the one that built him. Crosby’s with Eastern Michigan’s Athletic Director Scott Wetherbee and Head Coach Chris Creighton were already close. Wetherbee and Creighton have been at EMU for decades—Creighton’s been coaching the program for more than a decade, and Wetherbee’s been a reassuring presence at the top of the athletic department. In this role, he is hands-on, assisting in scouting, managing budgets, and supporting the athletic director with fundraising and student-athlete services, which is no easy task, and Crosby is well aware of it. “It’s challenging, bro, I could tell you it’s a completely different ball game. I’ve been scouting guys for the past month now and assisting and attempting to get some pass rushers,” he states. But Crosby is not just adding value to the program; he’s investing financially as well.

How one star’s generosity changes the game

After Maxx Crosby took up the torch and ran with it, right back to Eastern Michigan University. It wasn’t about inspiration; it was about doing something about it. That’s where the “Maxx Match” comes in, a fundraising drive as bold and philanthropic as the man himself. The Maxx Match is not just a donation drive. It’s a call to action and a promise. Crosby, the current Assistant General Manager for EMU Football and still among the NFL’s most feared pass rushers, put his money where his heart is. He pledged to match every dollar given to the Eagles’ football program, up to $100,000, personally before the end of May.

After the campaign, the figures spoke for themselves. The community had donated $135,165, which Maxx Crosby matched for $100,000, adding up to more than $270,000 in new funds for the 2025 season. And then you factor in Crosby’s initial $1 million contribution in 2023, you can see that it’s not just about the money. It’s about legacy building and investing in EMU Football’s future—something Crosby is intimately familiar with following his life-changing years on campus. “This challenge was about more than dollars raised—it was about uniting our community and investing in the future of EMU Football,” said Scott Wetherbee, EMU’s Vice President and Director of Athletics. And he is correct.

The Maxx Match united fans, offering hope, opportunity, and a sense of belonging to the next generation of Eagles, fostering a shared purpose. Timing couldn’t have been more apt. With college football on the cusp of a new age, the approval of a federal judge to permit schools to pay players directly, plus looming new NCAA rules, EMU is set to prosper, in no small measure, because of the Maxx Match. The additional financing provides for more amenities, more student-athlete resources, and an overall improved program.