Even from a hospital bed with a newly repaired knee, Maxx Crosby is already making promises for 2026. The Raiders placed Crosby on season-ending injured reserve after his left knee injury, which he first suffered in October, had later raised long-term concerns. Although Crosby wanted to finish the season, the team opted to prioritize his long-term health for the 2026 season. But now that Crosby has finally undergone surgery, he offered a clear message about his future.

Through an Instagram post on January 7, Maxx Crosby shared a photo from his hospital bed after successful meniscus surgery. In the photo, Crosby was lying back on a gurney, knee braced and bandaged, but still flexed both arms with a confident smile.

“You Either Make Excuses Or You Make History… Great Risk = Great Reward…. We Got Work To Do,” Maxx Crosby wrote in the caption of his Instagram post. “Reset & Reload… I Wouldn’t Change It For Nothing. The Scars Are What Made Me & Provide True Clarity & Growth. Year 8 Will Be The Greatest Year Yet. Undisputed.💎💎💎.”

While Maxx Crosby did not provide a specific timeline for his return, his IG post was proof that he’s already in comeback mode. While in rehabilitation, Crosby sent a clear message to the league that his eighth year in the NFL will be his best. The “risk” Crosby referenced was his decision to play on a compromised knee for most of the 2025 season.

Maxx Crosby initially suffered a left knee injury while playing against the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 7. But while the injury had lingered, MRIs later revealed that it could turn into a long-term problem for Crosby if left untreated. That discovery pushed the Raiders to consult multiple medical professionals before making the call to place Crosby on IR.

The Raiders ruled Maxx Crosby out for the final two weeks of 2025. The decision to shut him down didn’t sit well with the competitive defensive end, and his frustration was evident when he reportedly stormed out of the team’s facility, which was later confirmed by former Raiders head coach Pete Carroll.

“He [Crosby] knows that he’s banged up, so he’s talking about, ‘I’d like to get out of here,’” Carroll told reporters. “And I said, ‘Yeah, get out of here.’ So he took off.”

Before landing on IR, Maxx Crosby played 15 games in the 2025 season and put up 45 solo tackles, 28 assists, 10 sacks, two forced fumbles, and one interception. So, even when hurt, he remained one of the league’s most disruptive pass rushers and the heartbeat of Las Vegas’ defense. But with the Raiders heading into a full rebuild, trade rumors also continue to swirl around Crosby. 

Will the Raiders trade Maxx Crosby before the 2026 NFL season?

In March 2025, Maxx Crosby signed a three-year, $106.5 million extension with the Raiders that included $91.5 million guaranteed with an average annual salary of $35.5 million per year. At the time, he looked like a lifelong Raider, but now, Crosby’s future in Las Vegas has turned into a league-wide discussion. On January 6, ESPN’s Kalyn Kahler and Ryan McFadden reported in an article that a personnel executive from another team believed that Crosby is “done in Vegas.”

That report matched what Dianna Russini of The Athletic had said on January 3. According to Russini, people around the NFL believe that the Raiders may be open to trading Maxx Crosby if the two sides cannot resolve their strained relationship. The IR decision only seemed to deepen that rift between Crosby and the Raiders. Still, the Raiders have publicly insisted the door remains open for Crosby’s return to Las Vegas in 2026.

“Maxx is the ultimate warrior, and he has fought extremely hard to compete each week with his teammates since injuring his knee mid-season,” the Raiders said in a statement after they placed Crosby on IR. “We are grateful for his extraordinary contributions. He is a true Raider on and off the field – we look forward to his leadership and toughness into 2026 and beyond.”

Even so, it’s hard not to understand Crosby’s frustration. He has given everything to this franchise, but the results haven’t followed. The Raiders finished the 2025 season at 3-14, earned the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, and once again find themselves starting over. Meanwhile, as general manager John Spytek spoke about accountability after the lost season, he avoided addressing Crosby’s future directly. That silence only adds more fuel to the speculation.

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Now, with successful surgery behind him, Maxx Crosby will head into the offseason with doubts surrounding whether he will be wearing silver and black when 2026 arrives.