Maxx Crosby isn’t thinking about Fernando Mendoza or whoever may be considered the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
The star Raiders defensive end spoke out Tuesday against the narrative that both the Giants and Raiders should try to lose Sunday’s clash in Sin City in order to likely obtain the No. 1 pick.
Big Blue owns the top pick entering the final two weeks, but the loser of this battle between two woeful 2-13 teams likely will be on the clock first come April.
“Yeah, I don’t give a s–t about the pick, to be honest,” Crosby told local reporters. “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 and influence and being that guy on a consistent basis for my team.
“That’s their job, that’s 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 the best in the world at what I do and that’s wrecking the game.”
Warning: Graphic language
A matchup of 2-13 teams normally would not be enticing in Week 17, but Sunday’s game that may as well be sponsored by Tankathon will be of utmost importance.
There are obvious advantages that come with having the No. 1 pick, although one could argue that the Raiders perhaps need it a little bit more than the Giants.
Las Vegas’ trade for veteran Geno Smith has been a disaster and the team could use a young quarterback to build around, while the Giants seem set with Jaxson Dart.
Mendoza, who guided Indiana to an undefeated regular season, could be the potential top pick in such a scenario, while Oregon’s Dante Moore could be in the mix if he declares for the draft.
Should the Giants land the top pick, a potential trade-down to accumulate more options could be a wise move for a franchise with more holes than Swiss cheese.
Las Vegas is favored by 1.5 points at BetMGM.
Both teams close out the regular season against contending teams that instead missed the playoffs and also will have nothing to play for in Week 18.
The Giants finish the season at home against Dallas, while the Raiders will host the Patrick Mahomes-less Chiefs in what could be Travis Kelce’s final game.
Both the Giants and Raiders are guaranteed top-seven picks in the 2026 draft, while the winner of Sunday’s game could potentially join a five-way tie among three-win teams.
The Browns (vs. Steelers), Jets (vs. Patriots), Titans (vs. Saints) and Cardinals (at Bengals) are all 3-12 and all four are Week 17 underdogs, with the Jets and Cardinals having long-shot odds.
[Notigroup Newsroom in collaboration with other media outlets, with information from the following sources]
