HENDERSON, NEV. — Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Kirk Cousins and edge rusher Maxx Crosby engaged in a physical scuffle during a practice session on Friday. The incident occurred after Crosby tipped a pass from Cousins in the backfield during team drills, forcing an incompletion.

Cousins charged Crosby immediately following the play, grabbing the defensive end's collar before a shouting match ensued. Teammates intervened to separate the two players, ending the confrontation on the field.

Crosby was sent to the sidelines following the altercation, while Cousins remained on the field to finish the drive. The quarterback had thrown two interceptions during the session prior to the scuffle but performed well in a two-minute situation after the incident.

Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak addressed the incident as a competitive moment between key veterans. "Those are two leaders of our team going at it, so that is part of camp," Kubiak said. He emphasized the need for discipline despite the intensity of padded practices.

"Obviously, if you fight in a game and throw a punch in game, then you’re out of the game," Kubiak said. He added that the team must maintain professionalism during training exercises. "So we’ve got to be smart and treat it like a game."

Tight end Michael Mayer described the event as an expected occurrence during contact drills. "We don’t want to be throwing punches, but I think on any padded day of camp, there’s going to be some tussles," Mayer said. He noted that physical engagement is part of preparing for regular season competition.

Mayer defended Cousins' reaction as a sign of leadership and competitive spirit. "That’s our starting quarterback right now, and you want him to defend your team, and you want him to have some edge to him, which he does," he said. He clarified that while self-defense is acceptable, penalties must be avoided.

"I don’t want him getting thrown out. I don’t want him getting a flag. Nothing like that, but you’ve got to be able to defend yourself."

The scuffle took place as Cousins operates the first-team offense in training camp. Aidan Mendoza is also competing with Cousins for the starting quarterback position. Cousins signed with the Raiders after two seasons with the Atlanta Falcons. Kubiak is the new head coach of the Raiders, having previously won Super Bowl LX as the offensive coordinator for the Seattle Seahawks.

Crosby is entering his eighth season with the Raiders after a turbulent offseason involving a collapsed trade. He was traded to the Baltimore Ravens in March, but the deal fell through over concerns about his surgically repaired knee. Crosby returned to the Raiders after the trade to the Ravens collapsed.

The proposed trade would have sent two first-round draft picks to Las Vegas. Raiders owner Mark Davis had previously sent an email to ESPN in 2024 responding to rumors that Crosby could be traded, indicating his commitment to keeping the defensive end with the team.

Crosby missed the entire 2025 season due to a left meniscus tear, which required surgery in January 2026 and left him unable to bend his knee for two months. Despite missing time due to injury, he recorded 10 sacks, 73 tackles, and 28 tackles for loss during the 2025 season.

Crosby has been named to the Pro Bowl five times and has made first- or second-team All-Pro three times since his rookie season in 2019. In the 2022–2025 seasons, Crosby recorded 271 pressures and 44.5 sacks over 2,176 pass-rushing snaps, ranking sixth among edge rushers in both categories.

Crosby recorded 297 tackles from 2022 through 2025. He also recorded 90 tackles for loss from 2022 through 2025.

Crosby is scheduled to collect approximately $30 million this season. NFL insider Adam Schefter suggested that trade discussions could resurface if the team struggles early in the year.

"What if the Raiders aren’t winning regularly? What if the Raiders are 1-5, 2-6, and we’re coming up to the trade deadline in the first week in November and there’s a team out there that can use a pass rusher?" Schefter said. He indicated that market conditions might change based on team performance.

"I think that’s when the trade potentially could come back into play. That’s when it might be time to start paying attention."

Why It Matters

The altercation shows the tension surrounding two key veterans as the Raiders begin a new era under head coach Klint Kubiak. While teammates frame the scuffle as competitive fire necessary for camp, the incident occurs while Maxx Crosby faces renewed trade speculation if the team struggles early in the season. Coach Kubiak emphasized that such intensity must remain disciplined to avoid game-day penalties, noting that fighting during actual competition results in ejection.