The Las Vegas Raiders are once again entering a new era with a new head coach. Pete Carroll is taking the reins after one year with Antonio Pierce at the helm. Carroll is known for the positivity and energy he brings to the building every day, and that is something star defensive end Maxx Crosby can appreciate.
Crosby is a cornerstone of this Raiders franchise and one of the most relentless and hard-working players in the entire NFL. Like Carroll, he brings a nonstop motor and truly sets the tone for the rest of the team to follow. Crosby already likes what he is seeing from Carroll during these offseason programs.
The Raiders star spoke on Carroll following practice, saying that the coach has emphasized competition at every level and truly wants every player on the roster to be the best versions of themselves, via Pro Football Post:
“He just wants to see guys be the best versions of themselves. He’s true to that. It’s not fake energy. It’s every day he’s the same guy.”
– Maxx Crosby on Pete Carroll pic.twitter.com/imvP3XDkWG
— Pro Football Post (@ProFootballPost) May 22, 2025
That commitment to competition has been a Carroll staple for his entire coaching tenure. From his time in college at USC to the Seattle Seahawks, Carroll has always been about playing who is the best at every position, regardless of status. The energy he brings to the building is infectious and, as Crosby noted, authentic.
Players can usually see right through coaches who say things just to say them but don’t really mean it or stand by them, but that has never been what Carroll is about. He is unapologetically himself and always looks to get the best out of the players. Building that connection is something that many can’t do, but Carroll is special about that, and Crosby already notices.
Both Carroll and Crosby want to succeed at the highest level with the Raiders, and having those two on the same page sets an example for everyone else on the roster.
Maxx Crosby discusses the culture Pete Carroll is setting with Raiders
With a new head coach, they need to set the tone and culture, and Pete Carroll is doing exactly that already with the Raiders. And Maxx Crosby is loving it.
“I would just say, it starts when you walk in the building, and I feel like Pete just does such a good job of creating a culture and an environment where you’re looking forward to being here,” the pass-rusher replied. “Like, we’re playing a kid’s game at the end of the day, but it’s also the most competitive environment, with a bunch of alpha males trying to take each other’s heads off at the same time.
“But it’s one of the hardest jobs on the planet. There’s a reason why there’s only .0001 percent of people that can do it, because it’s not normal. And Pete creates that culture, that energy, where everyone knows it’s hard. You’re going to work your ass off, you’re going to put in all the work, but you’ve got a whole group and an organization of people that all got to be on the same wavelength and go in the same direction.”
