March 11 is definitely a day Maxx Crosby will remember forever.
March 11, 2020: Crosby chooses to change his lifestyle and become sober, tattooing the date on his hand as a constant reminder.
March 11, 2022: He inks a multi-year extension to stay in the Silver and Black.
"The odds of that happening are so low, but it's also ironic," he said reflecting on his journey. "I know in the last two years how much work I've put in, how much sacrifice, so much growth in everything I've been doing and seeing it paying off.
"Obviously, this is just the beginning of where I want to be, but this is an incredible gesture by the team and I'm just fired up to get back in the playoffs and continue chasing a ring."
Originally selected in the fourth round of the 2019 NFL Draft, Crosby made his impact on the gridiron quickly.
He's accumulated 141 tackles (91 solo), 25 sacks, 12 passes defensed, four forced fumbles and one fumble recovery in three seasons. And while he may not have been all over the stat sheet in the 2021 season, his presence was felt by each quarterback he faced, while accruing respect from players on both sides of the ball.
"Crosby has always been a guy that plays to the whistle, plays very hard. But this year, he's really taken a step up and he's become one of the more premier pass rushers in this league," Browns guard Joel Bitonio said back in December. "It's not all sacks, it's pressures, it's his disruptiveness."
That disruptiveness earned him a Pro Bowl nod and when he brought his fire to the all-star game in February, he won Defensive MVP.
More accolades came his way when his teammates chose him as the winner of the Commitment to Excellence award for his leadership on and off the field throughout the 2021 season.
It's been a quite a ride for the defensive end, and it's far from over.
"In the back of my head, I always had a vision of what I want to do in my career and honestly, how things have transpired, I could've never put it together any more perfect," he said. "I think I was meant to be a Raider since Day 1. ... I've got great people around me and they help me with everything I've accomplished."
"There's no other place on Earth I'd rather be," he added. "We're going to keep going crazy. I'm excited to keep representing Raider Nation."
