Over the last few years, the Las Vegas Raiders have been full of hope. There have been multiple years that it looked like the franchise could get back to being a potential playoff contender.
Unfortunately, the disappointment has continued to build. Heading into the 2025 NFL season, the Raiders have a new head coach in Pete Carroll and he has brought a new culture to the team. There are legitimate reasons to be excited about the upcoming campaign.
A big part of their success will be superstar pass rusher Maxx Crosby.
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He has become a clear leader for Las Vegas. It also helps that he is one of the best defensive players in the NFL.
Crosby has been a leader on the field, but he's looking to take that leadership a step further. Tom Brady has been influential for him and he spoke out and talked about the biggest thing he has learned from the best quarterback in league history.
"He's taught me how to be a better leader," Crosby said. "He's showed me, this is what it looked like when I was young, and this is what it looked like in year seven for me. It's been a constant evolving relationship, and he's helped me so much, I think mostly in a leadership role, how to bring teammates along, how to push guys, to pull guys in a certain direction."
Carroll will need to lean heavily on Crosby. He will need the star defensive end to help his teammates get better around him. That is what he has learned from Brady.
Learning from one of the best players to ever play the game of football is huge. Not only is Brady one of the best players of all-time, he was also an elite leader. He was the definition of improving players around him.
Hopefully, that is a role that Crosby can play for the Raiders.
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Last season, Crosby played in 12 games. He racked up 45 tackles to go along with 7.5 sacks and five defended passes. Back in 2023, he totaled 90 tackles, 14.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, a fumble recovery, and two defended passes.
Those numbers show a glimpse of what Crosby can do on the field. If he can take his leadership to the next level, he will become a complete player.
While this is all great news, fans will need to see it on the field. It will be interesting to see what changes Crosby makes this season and how he can bring his teammates up around him throughout the 2025 campaign.
For more on the Las Vegas Raiders and general NFL news, head over to Newsweek Sports.
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