The most shocking moment of the NFL offseason came last week when the Baltimore Ravens backed out of the Maxx Crosby trade, and now, we have some new details about what went down in Baltimore.
The Raiders star has his own podcast, The Rush with Maxx Crosby, and during Tuesday’s episode, he gave all the inside details on what transpired while he was visiting the Ravens. At no point did Crosby think the trade was going to be called off, but he definitely seemed suspicious of several things, starting with the fact that Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta didn’t meet with him during the first five hours he was at Baltimore’s team facility.
“I didn’t get to see the [general manager] at all,” Crosby said. “I thought I was gonna see him when I first got there. I didn’t see him for five hours. I don’t know why, I’m not gonna speculate. I didn’t see him one time. I even asked the girl, I was like, ‘Where’s Eric [DeCosta] at?’ You know what I mean? He just made the trade, I didn’t see him for five hours.”
During those first few hours where he didn’t get to see DeCosta, Crosby was doing medical tests. The Ravens looked at his labrum, knees and ankles to make sure everything was working. The process involved an MRI and several scans.
“So I’m doing all these scans, they took forever,” Crosby said. “They took a really long time. This is the thing, bro, everyone’s got their own theory, conspiracy theory, no one really will ever admit on either side what the real truth is or whatever, and ultimately, it doesn’t even matter.”
After the testing was done, Crosby wanted to meet with new Ravens head coach Jesse Minter and that’s where things apparently got even more awkward. Crosby did eventually meet with him, but he said the energy was a “bit off.”
“I dap him up, and I can just tell, the energy was a little bit off, and the GM was standing in the hall, in the room next to me to the right,” Crosby said.”And that was the first time I had seen him. In my head, this is a whirlwind, I’m so excited, like, fired up, you know what I mean? This is a new opportunity, and you could just tell the energy was off. I dapped him up, he had a blank face.”
After Crosby finally got to meet with DeCosta, that’s when the Ravens general manager delivered some bad news.
“I go into the room, they sit me down on the couch, and he’s like, ‘Man, I don’t know how to say this, but one of our doctors has concerns with the results or whatever, with your knee,'” Crosby said. “‘Some of them are concerned about the future, da, da, da, da. Um we really want you, and this is what it is, but, you know, we’re just gonna have to get more and more opinions.'”
At that point, Crosby officially started to panic because he thought something might be wrong with his surgically repaired left knee.
“The first thought in my head, I was terrified, because I’m thinking in my head, what the f–k,” Crosby said. “I just had Neal ElAttrache, best f–king surgeon in the country, like, the best of the best, he’s done all my surgeries for the most part. That’s my guy.”
Crosby’s initial thought was that he might have to get another surgery and if that had been the case, then he wouldn’t be ready for the 2026 season.
“So it just kind of hit me. I’m like, what the f–k? Is there something wrong? Like, I’m freaking out,” Crosby said. “Like, low key and deep down. I’m like, ‘I can’t get another surgery.’ My timeline, this is f–ked up. So I’m f–king like ‘What is going on, bro?'”
Eventually, Crosby talked to the surgeon who repaired his torn meniscus and at that point, the Raiders star felt better about the situation.
“Neil calls me and he calmed me way down,” Crosby said. “He’s like, ‘Max, don’t listen to any of that shit.’ He’s like, ‘Your knee is great. You’re exactly where you’re supposed to be or even ahead of schedule.” He’s like, ‘You’re doing everything right. They know you had your surgery nine weeks ago.'”
With his surgeon giving him some reassurance, Crosby didn’t have any reason to think the trade was going to be called off, but then he called his agent, CJ LaBoy, who gave him some wild news.
“Call CJ back. He hits me. He’s like, ‘Yo, they’re backing out,'” Crosby said. “And it’s crazy because their guy called me, one of the Ravens guys called me and he’s like, ‘Yo, we’re trying to figure this out. You know, we’re we’re going to get this done. Don’t worry.’ Five minutes later, CJ calls me. He’s like, ‘They’re backing out.’ I’m like, “Holy shit.” So, I’m like frozen. I’m like, ‘What the f–k?’ I’m so confused, the whole nine, all in one.”
The Raiders thought they were getting two first-round picks for Crosby, but with the trade now off, the Raiders were instead getting Crosby back.
“All this shit unravels on Tuesday, and then all of a sudden, I’m back, flying back the next day. Never would have thought in a million years,” Crosby said.
The 28-year-old has spent his entire seven-year career with the Raiders and although he demanded a trade earlier this offseason, he now seems content with the idea of being in Vegas for the long haul.
“I wasn’t supposed to be in Baltimore. And that’s it. I’m meant to be a Raiders. It’s through my damn core,” Crosby said.
On the Ravens’ end, DeCosta was asked about the trade last week and didn’t have much to say about why it was called off other than the fact that it was a medical issue.
“One of the key things is you bring a player in and try to get as much information as you can,” DeCosta said. “We were not able to complete the process of trading for the player, based on our assessment of the situation.”
With Crosby now back in Vegas, he’ll be joining a totally revamped Raiders defense that now includes players like Nakobe Dean, Quay Walker and Kwity Paye. On paper, the Raiders’ defense suddenly looks like it could do some damage.
Crosby has been one of the most dangerous players in the NFL over the past seven years and after getting snubbed by the Ravens, he seems more motivated than ever to terrorize opposing offenses.
