Few players are better at what they do than Las Vegas Raiders pass rusher Maxx Crosby, and several notable members of the Houston Texans didn’t hold back on their praise for No. 98.
Houston held a two-hour joint practice with Las Vegas and gave the Raiders valuable reps against a strong Texans squad.
“With joint practices, the main thing is you’re just trying to get working and get each other better without turning into a fight and a melee,” head coach Klint Kubiak said after the joint practice session. “So, I thought our guys were very mature. …It’s about getting the team better, and so I’d say overall I was pleased with that.”
Unlike other joint practices, like the one between the New Orleans Saints and Dallas Cowboys, where there were multiple fights, there was no bad blood between the Texans and the Raiders.
Rather, a few members of the Texans weren’t holding back on giving their thoughts on Crosby.
Several Texans Gave Their Flowers to Maxx Crosby
Three key members of the Texans gave their thoughts on Maxx Crosby, including head coach DeMeco Ryans, quarterback C.J. Stroud, and pass rusher Will Anderson Jr.
Ryans: “Crosby, really great player, gave us some tough looks. The thing about Crosby is he stays out there. He’s not just going to go one rush and just stop. He has great effort. He plays with great effort.”
Stroud: “He’s great. I think Maxx is one of the best in the league.”
Anderson: “I have a ton of respect for Maxx. Maxx is a big bro. Him and I talk a bunch, he’s been really great for me. … He’s an awesome player in this league. One of the top guys in this league.”
The praise wasn’t just talk either. Crosby backed it up on the field, picking up several sacks as the Raiders’ defense generated consistent pressure throughout the session.
Anderson’s “big bro” comment also carries some extra weight given that he and Crosby are highly regarded among the NFL’s premier pass rushers, which makes the mutual respect between them notable beyond just being good friends.
It’s also worth noting the timing, given that Kubiak had actually held Crosby out of practice the week before after a training-camp scuffle with Kirk Cousins, so there was some intrigue about how Crosby would look once he got in front of an opposing offense again.
Will Anderson’s Praise Didn’t Stop With Crosby
GettyHOUSTON, TEXAS – JANUARY 11: Will Anderson Jr. #51 of the Houston Texans celebrates a sack against the Los Angeles Chargers in the fourth quarter during the AFC Wild Card Playoffs at NRG Stadium on January 11, 2025 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images)
Something else that was notable is that Will Anderson’s praise didn’t stop with Maxx Crosby. He gave Fernando Mendoza, a rookie quarterback, praise, saying, “A ton of respect for him. I love his energy. I love the way he was cheering his O-line on, cheering his team on. He’s going to be a really great quarterback in this league.”
That must feel surreal for Mendoza to get that type of praise from one of the league’s best, and he commented on experiencing his first-ever joint NFL practice.
“Being able to go against the Texans defense, which is also a top defense in the league. Go against them, get some reps with the 1s, against the superstars on their defense, and then obviously their 2s are fantastic as well. We got so much work, whether it’s move the ball, first down, third down, red zone, two-minute; there were so many situations, and I believe overall it was a positive day.”
Love that mentality for Mendoza, and he should have another strong showing against the Texans on Thursday, August 20th at 8 pm Eastern Time.
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