Raiders’ Maxx Crosby earns MVP in Pro Bowl. Here’s the coach’s message that fired him up
Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby had a lot of fun in his first Pro Bowl.
And he made his presence felt in the first half, albeit without making any hard tackles at Allegiant Stadium.
Crosby was named the Pro Bowl defensive Most Valuable Player after he finished with five tackles, two sacks, two quarterback hits, three tackles for loss and three pass deflections in the AFC’s 41-35 victory on Sunday.
It was a text from Raiders defensive line coach Rod Marinelli that resonated with him heading into the game.
“Coach Marinelli been texting me all week not to loaf,” Crosby told Lisa Salters of ESPN. “I had to set that standard and been working and to come out here and put on a show for the fans one last time.”
Crosby’s earnings from the Pro Bowl will go to Stand Up For Pits Foundation.
In the first half, Crosby recorded four tackles, a sack, one quarterback hit, two tackles for loss and three pass deflections. Although there hasn’t been tackling in the Pro Bowl since 2017, players are given credit once a runner or receiver’s forward progress is stopped.
Crosby was selected to his first Pro Bowl after he finished the 2021 NFL regular season with 36 tackles and eight sacks. He had the most pressures in the NFL with 108.
Raiders wide receiver Hunter Renfrow caught a third-quarter touchdown from New England quarterback Mac Jones and linebacker Denzel Perryman finished with a tackle.
Punter A.J. Cole was limited to holding on kicks, since neither team was punting in the game.
