There might not be any playoff scenarios in play, but there are massive stakes in the game between the 2-13 Giants and 2-13 Raiders this weekend. The Giants and Raiders are the only teams left with just two wins, and the loser of the game will gain the inside track at receiving the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL draft.
Both the Raiders and Giants will likely be picking in the top-5, if not top-3 of the draft next spring, but getting the No. 1 pick of course gives the team their first choice at any player in the draft or the leverage to trade down and accumulate more picks.
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This opportunity, however, means little to star Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby. “Yeah, I don’t give a s— about the pick,” Crosby told reporters ahead of the game.
Crosby continued, “I don’t play for that. That’s not my job. My job is to be the best defensive end in the world and that’s what I focus on every day and being a great leader, being an influence and being that guy on a consistent basis for my team. That’s their job. The front office, the coaches, they do that but that’s got nothing to do with me. I’ve learned that lesson in the past, you can’t control everything. That’s not my job description. My job is to be in the best in the world at what I do and that’s wrecking the game.”
A must listen for #RaiderNation
— Vegas Sports Today (@VegasSportsTD) December 23, 2025
Maxx Crosby on his 2025 Pro Bowl selection, his relationship with Michael Jordan & Tom Brady, and the sacrifices made in pursuit of becoming “The best defensive end in the world.”
🎥: By @Sean_Zittel, Vegas Sports Today pic.twitter.com/uONGqfJtRC
It’s unsurprising to hear Crosby express this sentiment. Though Crosby has been relegated to playing for struggling Raiders teams throughout his career thus far, he has long expressed his desire to win, and naturally wants to do so on Sunday.
Beyond Crosby, tanking or trying to lose for a higher pick simply isn’t common in the NFL. Picking higher in the draft doesn’t benefit players who aren’t guaranteed roster spots on the team next year, and building a winning culture is more important than selecting one or two spots higher in the draft. It’s why the Texans had no qualms playing for the win and costing themselves the No. 1 pick three years ago, and why Crosby will put in his usual effort against the Giants this weekend.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Maxx Crosby Had Blunt Comments on Raiders Potentially Landing No. 1 Pick.