Maxx Crosby's Journey to the League and Sobriety | NFL Films Presents

The only thing you have to change is everything, from the first drink I had as if I had always been that guy. I didn't understand what it was like to just want to be buzzed, like if not, I'm going to the bottom. I knew I had a problem like at the beginning but I never wanted to admit it you know what it is today you know where you were 3 years ago today April 11 yes yes yes three years ago think about it today yes and now look at you now you're sitting in the UFC facility about to exercise and telling a story 3 years, it seems like a long time ago.

I'm already entering year five in the NFL, which is like I don't know how to describe it to people like It almost feels like the days are super long but time flies by, so yeah, honestly, it's crazy. I can't believe it's been 3 years already. I remember the first one, like March 11, when I went in there, every day seemed like the longest day. It was always like if I didn't have a phone, I couldn't like it, everything was completely different and slower and when I left I was like I had done my 30 days. I'm going back home.

Screw this, like he's ready to get home. Like no, you're going to live sober, you're going to stay there until training camp, putting yourself in rehab is the hardest part, admitting you have a problem, but I wasn't ready, I think it was 2 and 1/2. Months I ended up staying there, you know, remembering it like it was something I really needed because I wasn't ready to go back to Vegas after 30 days, like I just left that house and I passed out the last time I was there. Max with two exes Crosby was born on August 22, 1997 to parents Brian and Vera in cville Texas, a suburb of Dallas, the day you were born, yes you were 11 lb 9 oz, yes I was a big boy, a big boy , a big boy, yes, see, she had.

To work a little now, have a child of your own, and see what Rachel went through, can you 1,000% appreciate Vera even more for who she is? My mom is a warrior, she sure is, yeah, to me, like she's the middle child. you know, insecure redhead kid like I didn't have girls, I didn't have any of that and my brother was like the man, he was a pretty boy, he had all the girls, so in my head I was always the way I am. trying to be like him as if they didn't love me but as if it was always like a constant like an internal battle.

I never expressed it to him but like I had that jealousy and I wanted that life and like I just wasn't happy as a Human Being like I was constantly sabotaging myself and making it worse and worse and worse and trying to drink to erase my feelings and then repeating and doing the same thing. same When did you start drinking? I started in high school. But yeah, that's just it. and you loved it right when you started, oh, I immediately thought, you know, for me, drinking was kind of like that, you know, that turn to where I could, you know, open up, yeah, give me the confidence and you know, and then it started football.

It happened and I started, you know, growing up a little bit and I became a good football player so it worked hand in hand because I got confident and I'm drinking and I got confident and drinking like yeah, that's how it was. It's like a bad cycle, but that's how it started. Eastern Michigan was the only scholarship offer Crosby received, but he made the most of it by earning First Team All-Mac in both 2017 and 2018 in college. She used to drink for N9 months. After you because you got a DUI, yeah, I got a DUI in college and did you think at that moment that I'm going to lose all of this if I don't stop?

What made you stop and why did you return at that time? Yeah, I give a lot of credit to my head coach, Chris Kraton, he's the one that started it and he says if you drink anytime, like you get the first game, you could play the second game, whatever, but if it's the week seven and meet You're drinking, you're suspended for the next game. I don't care and in my head like I already made it up. I go early. I'm going to the

league

at that time. Like I was getting sober basically, obviously. selfishly for my career because I knew what my vision was, but at the same time I was staying sober to get through this 2019 football season, it's the NFL Draft, take me through that day, the emotions and the history that's there when you look back back.

About that, that was extremely stressful. I had teams, you know, they mentioned me, you know, being a top 100 pick, so I'm waiting for the second day and they don't pick me and I'm sitting there with all my family and all my friends. Rachel likes it. I felt sick to my stomach and left the party. I'm angry. I'm sick because when you get to the third day you don't know what the hell is going to happen. Hi who is this? I knew the Raiders had two. picks that were 106 and 109 Only, for some reason, it's the same thing, things happen for a reason, it makes too much sense.

I am destined to be a Raider. I'm a coach, I promise, thank you, thank you very much, yes, sir. In his first year, Crosby had 10 sacks and finished second to Nick Bosa for Defensive Rookie of the Year. You had a great rookie season and so what's the reason you allowed yourself to get back to that level? I mean, back to the old ways after my rookie year. that was the first time in my life that everything was good, I got money for the first time, you had a low season, I had a low season, I don't have to be anywhere during this time, there are no classes, nothing like that and it was the worst for me at that moment was that I literally went into a spiral for about 3 months straight.

It was bad, so is it a little surprising to think that I was able to get here and operate at this high level when I wasn't sober and now what you can do while sober was the only thing that I felt was holding me back. That first year of

sobriety

was very difficult and I went through a lot mentally after the 2020 season. Crosby had surgery on a torn lab. and broken hand injuries that he played through most of the year. I had surgery, we returned to Las Vegas, and literally everything changed. I sat down with a nutritionist and the strength staff.

Gu with everyone. Listen I'm not trying to be a middle of the line guy or a good story oh he got sober in the

league

whatever it is I'm trying to be the best I'll do everything I can to make it happen these last few two years, like it was literally From a semi-radical guy to a professional and I still know I have room to grow, yes, it's CRA. I'm a loser. I get chills right now thinking I like that winning mentality and doing whatever it takes to win. and that's why he's sitting here and that's also why the Raiders rewarded him with his initials here on the second anniversary of his

sobriety

.

The Raiders gave Crosby a new contract worth $53 million in guarantees, a more perfect one. I appreciate it, guys. Happy days, sir, I have congats, sir. Congresses in 2022 Crosby had his best year ever, but he led the league in tackles for loss with 22 and recorded a career-high 12 and a half sacks. People always say something about me, you know, he just tries hard, plays hard, that's what he does and then all of a sudden I start getting more respect, but there will always be skeptics and the more love you get, the more hate you get. The way I approach life I don't give a damn what anyone says.

I'm going to attack. Go straight ahead and see where I land, how does this help you? Honestly, last year, to add to my training, I started boxing every week, we do like an hour and a half on my days off, yeah, I've always been a big fan, I always wanted to fight because I grew up fighting, so no. , you know, in a gym or anything like that, but I was always interested in it, so I started boxing and it was part of my training, so I know your other career we will see, you never know. I know you're waiting for that championship like any football player does and raising that Lombardi, but you've got a pretty good trophy on your case right now and sobriety and congratulations.

I would dare say it's even harder to get to, so thank you for sharing your story. Thank you so much. It's good. I feel like we're only on chapter 5. I can't wait to read on. This is much more. because there is much more