Crosby: Energy inside Ravens' facility felt off before nixed trade
Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby revealed he was "livid" and "confused" after the Baltimore Ravens nixed a trade that would've sent him to a new team for two first-round picks.
"No one will ever admit what the real truth is. Ultimately, it doesn't matter. I am where I'm supposed to be," Crosby said on the latest episode of his podcast, "The Rush."
Crosby also described last week as a "whirlwind" after the Ravens withdrew from a trade over reported knee concerns.
The relationship between Crosby and the Raiders had apparently soured late last campaign, when the team shut him down against his wishes with two games left in the regular season for surgery on his injured knee.
Crosby shared that the Ravens flew him first-class to Washington, DC, on March 9 - three days after the reported trade - because there were no direct flights to Baltimore. He added that he underwent a physical and an MRI the following day but didn't speak with Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta until he was about to leave.
"I thought I was going to see (DeCosta) when I first got there," Crosby said, according to ESPN's Ryan McFadden. "I don't know why. I'm not going to speculate. He just made the trade, and I didn't see him for five hours."
Crosby also said that he sensed that the energy felt off inside the Ravens' facility. He added that he was terrified when DeCosta informed him that a team doctor had concerns about his surgically repaired knee and wanted additional medical opinions.
The five-time Pro Bowler said he returned to his hotel room and spoke with his agents, CJ LaBoy and Doug Hendrickson, who believed Baltimore might cancel the trade. Crosby said he later spoke with a member of the Ravens' staff, who told him the team still planned to get the deal done.
Shortly after talking with the Ravens staffer, Crosby said one of his agents told him that Baltimore called off the trade.
"I'm like 'Holy shit,'" Crosby said. "I told (LaBoy), 'I'm trying to get out of here.'"
DeCosta recently said the decision to rescind the deal left him "gutted."
"I've got a responsibility to the Ravens, to this community, to our fans, and to (team owner) Steve Bisciotti to do what we think is best for the club. And that's what we always try to do," DeCosta said.
Crosby's surgeon, Dr. Neal ElAttrache, said the veteran defender is doing well in the early part of surgery following a significant meniscus tear and related stress injury to the bone and cartilage in his knee. The menacing pass-rusher is expected to be ready for training camp in July.
Despite releasing an emotional goodbye video to Raiders nation, Crosby said he's ready for an eighth campaign with Las Vegas.
"I'm here. I'm meant to be a Raider," Crosby said. "I'm in this shit for life until that changes, which I don't foresee, but you never know in this damn league."