Kirk Cousins reportedly got in Maxx Crosby's face after the latter hit the former twice during training camp, leading to an escalation that required multiple players to break up
Maxx Crosby #98 and Kirk Cousins #8 of the Las Vegas Raiders embrace during mandatory minicamp at the Las Vegas Raiders Headquarters/Intermountain Health Performance Center on June 09, 2026 in Henderson, Nevada
Maxx Crosby (R) and Kirk Cousins (L) reportedly had a fight during training camp(Image: Photo by Louis Grasse/Getty Images)
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Kirk Cousins and Maxx Crosby were involved in a heated scuffle during the Las Vegas Raiders training camp session Friday.
According to reports, Crosby, the Raiders' star defensive end, hit Cousins twice during the team period, with the second hit irking the quarterback. The 37-year-old NFL star reportedly grabbed Crosby's jersey and got in his face before their teammates stopped the interaction.
As the 2026 NFL season inches closer, moments like those are best left during training camp, with coach Klint Kubiak remaining mum on the kerfuffle between his two stars. The moment came after Fernando Mendoza was rated a top Rookie of the Year contender despite being Cousin's backup.
With the news of the scuffle spreading, the Raiders head coach downplayed the interaction between Las Vegas' leaders though he did say it was a teaching moment for his players as they get ready for the season.
"That's training camp, you know, those are those two leaders of our team going at it," he said to reporters. "So, that is part of camp. Obviously, you fight in the game, you throw a punch in the game, especially then you're out of the game. So, we got to be smart, treat it like a game."
Tight end Michael Mayer shared a similar sentiment to the head coach, believing that Cousins was just doing what he could to defend himself in the moment as more information about the interaction comes to light. "Yeah, it's energy, man. It's energy," he began to reporters Friday.
Kirk Cousins #8 of the Minnesota Vikings and NFC looks to throw under pressure from Maxx Crosby #98 of the Las Vegas Raiders and AFC during the 2023 NFL Pro Bowl Games at Allegiant Stadium on February 05, 2023 in Las Vegas, Nevada
Kirk Cousins (R) and Maxx Crosby (L) are teammates on the Las Vegas Raiders(Image: Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
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"You know, we don't want to be throwing punches, but I think on any padded day of camp, there's going to be some, there's going to be some tuffles. And that's our starting quarterback right now. And you want him to defend your team, and you want him to have some edge to him, which he does. He's always had."
Mayer added, "Since the first day I met him when he came in here. So it's all. I mean, I don't want him getting thrown out. I don't want him getting a flag, nothing like that. But you got to be able to defend yourself."
Notably, Crosby stated that the coaching staff approached him and told him he must be careful when touching the quarterback during practice, a trait he has held on to throughout his career.
"When you get out there and bullets are flying, I'm not thinking about not finishing the play. That's just not in my nature," Crosby said at the start of training camp, according to ESPN. "That's something I've been dealing with my whole career. It's not easy."
This is not the first time a fight broke out during the Raiders' training camp.
ESPN reported that defensive lineman Jonah Laulu punched right guard Caleb Rogers earlier in practice before Cousins' clash with Crosby.
It remains to be seen whether the incident will impact the team's chemistry, as it appears that Kubiak and other players are chalking it up to competitors competing at the highest level.
The Raiders will play their first preseason game on Thursday against the Arizona Cardinals.