Raiders Coach Sends Blunt Message After Kirk Cousins-Maxx Crosby Clash

The Las Vegas Raiders saw tempers flare on Friday with quarterback Kirk Cousins and defensive end Maxx Crosby at the center of it all.

Crosby hit Cousins twice during the team period, which came after the former Pro Bowl quarterback had had enough after Crosby hit his arm a second time. Cousins went up to Crosby and grabbed his jersey, leading the two to exchange words before it was broken up.

First-year head coach Klint Kubiak voiced his desire for both Cousins and Crosby to be heavily invested in training camp, but he wants cooler heads to prevail in high-emotion situations.

“Those are two leaders on our team going at it,” Kubiak said via ESPN. “Obviously, fighting in a game [or] you throw a punch in a game, you are out of the game. So we got to be smart.”

Crosby was reportedly told before training camp began that he could not touch the quarterback. However, the team was also well aware that Crosby’s intensity during practice could lead to him going beyond what’s necessary.

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Nonetheless, the Raiders are hoping this situation is a learning experience that can lead to growth and a better-connected team, especially with two of their key players on both sides of the ball.

Cousins is expected to be the team’s starting quarterback to begin the season, while Crosby is a defensive leader and the team’s most impactful defensive player. Las Vegas will need them to be pivotal factors in pushing them toward playoff contention in 2026.