Las Vegas Raiders DE Maxx Crosby is a traditional defensive end in a new style world. He plays the run as hard as he does the pass. He never leaves the field and plays with an intensity that commands respect throughout the NFL.
That attitude comes, in part, from watching the Pittsburgh Steelers battle the Baltimore Ravens in the mid-2000s. He spoke with former NFL linebacker LaVar Arrington, and Crosby mentioned his influence from football.
“For me, I grew up watching the Pittsburgh Steelers versus the Ravens,” Crosby told Arrington. “All those guys. James Harrison's. Terrell Suggs. Everybody likes that. I respect the way this game is supposed to be played.”
The Steelers-Ravens rivalry remains one of the best in football, but its peak came in the 2000s and early 2010s. Although these two teams respected each other, they certainly didn't like each other. I could feel it every time I stepped on the field. Strength, passion, and a never-give-up attitude. That was James Harrison. That was Terrell Suggs. They were Hines Ward, Ben Roethlisberger, Troy Polamalu, Ray Lewis, and Ed Reed. The repeated close races were always close, the competition almost always had something meaningful at stake, and rivalries were heightened. That continued in 2023, with the Steelers needing a win in Week 18 to improve their playoff chances.
Looking back on the game, Crosby worried that a history that happened not that long ago was being overlooked by a generation younger than him.
“It's a love and respect for the history of the game…You ask young players who the all-time sack leader is? And they don't know anything.”
If you're not sure, the answer is Bruce Smith's 200. To be fair, each generation probably shares the same concerns about the younger generation that will come after them. But there's no question that Crosby appreciates the game. His body shows it. In the interview, he was wearing braces on his right hand and forearm, the result of battling injuries throughout the year and undergoing surgery in the offseason. Still, he finished with a career-high 14.5 sacks, a performance that anyone who followed the Steelers-Ravens rivalry would cringe at.
Watch the full conversation below.
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