The NFL coaching cycle is in full steam as the league gets set for Super Wild Card weekend with multiple teams in the market for a new head coach. That includes the Las Vegas Raiders who fired Josh McDaniels earlier this year.
Stepping into the interim role, Antonio Pierce did a fine job with the team, going 5-4. That record included a standout win at Kansas City, ending a losing streak for the franchise.
While interview requests are underway for other teams, the Raiders have been quiet on that front. And a report on Saturday suggests the decision the Raiders make will have a BIG impact on Maxx Crosby.
NFL.com reporters Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero wrote on the Raiders’ situation which includes Maxx Crosby endorsing Antonio Pierce. And they included a big nugget at the end:
The Las Vegas Raiders also continue to weigh a potential pursuit of Harbaugh, who led his alma mater to its first national championship in the College Football Playoff era on Monday night. However, sources say there remains support among many in the extended Raiders family for interim coach Antonio Pierce — including in the locker room, with All-Pro edge rusher Maxx Crosby will explore a trade request if Pierce isn’t retained, according to sources.
That seems very significant.
Would Maxx Crosby actually request a trade?
We do know that Crosby has endorsed Pierce a number of times. Most recently, that happened in a social media post on Friday.
Now, just because there’s a report that Crosby would explore a trade option if the team hires a different candidate, it doesn’t mean he’d request a trade. Crosby has never shown anything in his career to say he would do something like that. But it does show just how much the players loved playing for Pierce this season.
This situation could get messy for the Raiders if they aren’t careful.
