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Raiders fans, get hyped: Maxx Crosby's staying in Vegas for the long haul. On March 5, the Las Vegas Raiders locked down their star defensive end with a massive three-year, $106.5 million contract extension, including $91.5 million guaranteed. According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero, this deal makes Crosby the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history, edging out Justin Jefferson's $35 million annual average with a cool $35.5 million per year.
Crosby's journey to this moment is wild. Drafted in the fourth round back in 2019 out of Eastern Michigan, he's turned into a sack machine, racking up 59.5 career sacks-third-most in Raiders history. "I'm extremely excited and motivated," Crosby said at the press conference, per The Athletic.
"I've been here for seven years and it has been a blessing." The 27-year-old's coming off a 2024 season where he notched 7.5 sacks and tied T.J. Watt for the league lead with 17 tackles for loss, despite battling an ankle injury that required surgery. That grit? Pure Raider energy.
This extension rewrites the script for Crosby, who was set to hit free agency after 2026 with no guaranteed money left on his old deal. Now, he's tied to Vegas through 2029, his age-32 season. "This isn't about what you've done, it's about what you're about to do," GM John Spytek told Crosby, per posts on X.
Maxx Crosby's historic Raiders payday
It's a vote of confidence in a guy who's made four straight Pro Bowls and earned two All-Pro nods. Coach Pete Carroll's new era in Vegas clearly starts with keeping the defensive cornerstone.
The deal's a game-changer for the NFL market, too. Crosby's $35.5 million annual average tops the edge rusher charts, suring Nick Bosa's $34 million. Fans on X are buzzing, with one posting, "Maxx is worth every penny-Raider for life!" His relentless motor and leadership-like showing up at 6 a.m. daily, as Coach Antonio Pierce once noted-set the tone for a team hungry to climb out of last season's 4-13 slump.
Crosby's not just cashing checks; he's chasing legacy. "The money is incredible," he said, per Sporting News, "but it won't change my approach." With the Raiders eyeing a quarterback fix and a playoff push in 2025, Crosby's locked-in presence is the anchor they need. The Silver and Black faithful are ready to see him wreak havoc for years to come.