The Las Vegas Raiders are one of several NFL teams looking for redemption after a disappointing season. The arrival of Geno Smith as the new starting quarterback has sparked excitement among fans — and concern among rivals — especially with star pass rusher Maxx Crosby already anchoring the defense.
Now set to join forces and share the locker room, the former Seattle Seahawks quarterback knows he’ll have a major advantage with Crosby on his side. Smith is well aware of the high expectations and hopes to deliver the results the Raiders — and their fans — are looking for.
“When we played them in Seattle two or three years ago, he was such a pest,” Smith said on a video released by the franchise. “I felt like every play he was hitting me some way, just finding a way to get to the quarterback. I’ve always been a big fan of his. When we were on the field playing against each other we were kind of laughing, joking with each other. I told him, ‘You’re not getting a sack today.’ He was like, ‘I’m coming. I’m going to get to you.’ He played hard the entire game. I was really, really impressed by that.
“Then you get a chance to meet him, to see the kind of guy he is, that’s the way you want to lead the organization. A guy who’s going to work, he’s going to play hard, be professional, do all the right things, set the example, set the tone for the other guys, for the young guys. When you’ve got a guy like Maxx, the sky’s the limit.”
Geno Smith recently joined the Raiders and will reunite with head coach Pete Carroll, with whom he previously shared a stint in Seattle. On the other side of the ball, Maxx Crosby knows he has a golden opportunity to make history with this team.
What can we expect from the Raiders this upcoming season?
They say that when you hit rock bottom, the only way to go is up. That’s exactly what the Raiders will be aiming for from Week 1 of the 2025 season — a fresh start, with one clear goal: to leave behind the struggles of last year and show measurable progress, at the very least on the stat sheet.
There was plenty of speculation surrounding the quarterback position in Las Vegas — a hot topic throughout the offseason. In the end, it was Geno Smith who earned the nod, backed by strong support from both head coach Pete Carroll and part-owner Tom Brady. Now, it’s all about surrounding Smith with the right pieces to help him maximize his strengths and thrive on the field.
As for Maxx Crosby, he finds himself with a unique opportunity to pursue the goal he’s had since entering the NFL: reaching the long-awaited Super Bowl. With a mix of elite talent on the field and valuable experience on the sidelines, the Raiders have built the kind of environment where big things can happen.
SURVEY How far will the Raiders go next season?
How far will the Raiders go next season?
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