The Las Vegas Raiders are staring down another identity crisis—and this time, even their legends aren’t pretending otherwise.
With Pete Carroll out, a head coaching search underway, and the No. 1 overall pick in hand, the franchise is once again preparing for a reset.
On the surface, that pick offers hope. Quarterback Fernando Mendoza is widely expected to be the choice, a potential cornerstone meant to stabilize the offense for years to come.
But beneath that optimism is a quieter, more uncomfortable question.
What happens if Maxx Crosby is done waiting?
Trade rumors surrounding Crosby didn’t begin in a vacuum. They ignited late in the 2025 season, when the Raiders shut him down for the final two games.
Officially, it was about injury management. Unofficially, it looked like a franchise making a calculated decision to secure draft position.
Crosby reportedly didn’t see it that way.
He was said to be unhappy with the decision—so unhappy that he left the facility in frustration. At the time, the moment was brushed off as competitive fire. Now, it reads more like a warning.
Raiders legend Reggie Kinlaw added weight to that warning.
“If Maxx wants to go, I can understand that,” Kinlaw said in a recent interview. “He’s got a winning mentality. He goes full speed every play. He wants to win.”
Coming from Kinlaw, those words hit differently.
During his six seasons in Silver and Black, Kinlaw never experienced a losing culture. He went 58–31. He won two Super Bowls.
His version of Raiders football was defined by stability, leadership, and results. Watching the current version from the outside, it’s not hard to see why he might empathize with Crosby’s frustration.
Crosby has given the Raiders everything. Effort has never been the issue. Commitment has never wavered publicly.
Yet in seven seasons, he’s experienced just one winning year. For a player wired the way Crosby is, that reality wears thin.
Kinlaw didn’t stop there.
He acknowledged Crosby’s impact beyond football—his presence in the Vegas community, his status as the face of the franchise, and the emotional fallout that would follow a trade. But then came the quiet pivot.
“If Mendoza comes,” Kinlaw said, “Mendoza’s gotta work his way up to be the face of the franchise.”
That sentence carried more implication than emphasis.
It framed the moment clearly: the Raiders may be transitioning faces, whether they admit it or not. Mendoza, if drafted, will arrive with expectations but not authority.
Respect in the locker room isn’t granted by draft position—it’s earned. Even with highlight-reel moments, like his 12-yard touchdown run in the National Championship that cemented his No. 1 pick status, the road won’t be immediate.
And that’s the tension.
The Raiders are trying to build for the future while still holding onto their present. Crosby represents everything they want to be—relentless, authentic, respected. Mendoza represents what they hope to become.
Those timelines don’t always align.
Most fans dream of storybook careers. One jersey. One city. One legacy. But the modern NFL rarely allows it—especially when coaching turnover, losing seasons, and strategic tanking collide.
Kinlaw didn’t demand a trade. He didn’t push Crosby out the door. He simply acknowledged the reality many fans are afraid to say out loud.
Sometimes, wanting to win means wanting to leave.
And as the Raiders step into another uncertain offseason, that possibility feels closer than ever—no matter how promising the future looks on paper.
Leave a Reply