Maxx Crosby and Sean Payton
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Broncos' head coach Sean Payton was happy to see the Raiders trade Maxx Crosby
Big moves are beginning to be made across the NFL, and while the Denver Broncos haven’t done anything explosive yet, one of the latest blockbuster deals has had a big impact on them. On Friday night, the Broncos watched their AFC West rival, the Las Vegas Raiders, trade superstar defensive end Maxx Crosby to the Baltimore Ravens, meaning they no longer will have to face off against him twice a season.
While Las Vegas wasn’t exactly a threat to Denver in the AFC West, not having to go up against Crosby as much is a big win for the team when it comes to its efforts to protect star quarterback Bo Nix. Head coach Sean Payton was certainly excited to see Crosby get dealt, and he even made a hilarious offer to the Ravens’ new defensive star.
Sean Payton Has Hilarious Reaction to Maxx Crosby Trade
Jay Glazer
Sean Payton called me soooo fired up the Raiders traded Maxx Crosby and even just texted Maxx saying he’s offering to pay a private plane one-way flight to Baltimore, happy to see him out of the division. Funny
But also added, “You are an inspiration to watch and compete
Crosby wreaks havoc against whichever team he faces, but having played the Broncos 14 times in his career so far, he’s managed to get very familiar with whoever their quarterback is. During those contests against Denver, Crosby has piled up a mind-boggling 16.5 sacks, meaning he was averaging over one sack per game against them.
With that in mind, it shouldn’t be much of a surprise to see that Payton is happy to no longer be playing in the same division as Crosby. Since taking over as the Broncos’ head coach in 2023, Payton has had no answers when it comes to slowing down Crosby, and while he may bump into Baltimore in the playoffs, that’s an issue that can be dealt with down the line.
For now, Payton is simply celebrating the departure of another stud from the division, as the Kansas City Chiefs previously traded All-Pro cornerback Trent McDuffie to the Los Angeles Rams earlier this week. As it turns out, Payton was so excited to see Crosby leave the Raiders that he jokingly offered to pay for a private one-way flight out of town.
“Sean Payton called me soooo fired up the Raiders traded Maxx Crosby and even just texted Maxx saying he’s offering to pay a private plane one-way flight to Baltimore, happy to see him out of the division. Funny,” Jay Glazer of FOX Sports shared in a post on X. “But also added, ‘You are an inspiration to watch and compete against.’ Payton has long raved about how Maxx never slows down during games.”
Sean Payton, Broncos Focused on Upgrading Their Own Roster This Offseason
Sean Payton, Denver Broncos
GettyDenver Broncos head coach Sean Payton looks on before a game against the New York Giants.
The offseason is still young, but it’s clear that the AFC West division has already gotten worse, which is good news for the Broncos. The Kansas City Chiefs and Los Angeles Chargers will still be providing Denver with some stiff competition atop the division for years to come, but right now, the Broncos control the division.
That could change very quickly, though, which is why Denver needs to focus on its own body of work this offseason, rather than what its competitors are doing. There’s no doubt that not having to worry about Crosby anymore is a big win for the team, but ultimately, their offseason will be defined by the moves they make, not the moves their rivals make.