LAS VEGAS — Maxx Crosby just secured his financial future, and now he is expanding his empire. The 28-year-old defensive end, who inked a massive three-year, $106.5 million contract extension in 2025, confirmed Friday that he is officially a minority owner of the Premier League’s Leeds United F.C. But while the star pass rusher plants his flag in English soccer, intense Maxx Crosby trade rumors are suffocating the Las Vegas Raiders’ offseason.
Crosby does not just play football; he wages a 60-minute war every Sunday. Walking through the Raiders’ Henderson facility this week, the tension radiates off the walls. Las Vegas sits on a rebuilding roster under new head coach Klint Kubiak, and rival executives are circling the desert. They are waiting to see if owner Mark Davis will finally pull the trigger on a blockbuster deal for a player who has already banked $96,475,395 in career earnings.
Soccer in England’s top flight prints money, and Crosby wants his cut. He posted “God Is Great. 💛💙” on X to announce his arrival. Leeds United returned to the Premier League in 2025 after a two-year stint in the second-tier Championship. They currently sit 15th on the table, fighting tooth and nail to avoid relegation and secure their slice of the massive Premier League broadcast revenue.
The investment carries a massive subplot. The ownership group running Leeds, 49ers Enterprises, is the strategic investment arm of the San Francisco 49ers. Led by Paraag Marathe, the group fully acquired the soccer club three years ago and even expanded their reach last May by grabbing a 51% stake in the Scottish club Rangers. For Crosby, tying his money to the brass of an NFC powerhouse certainly raises eyebrows, especially as the 49ers desperately hunt for an elite edge rusher to pair with Nick Bosa.
Part of the soccer appeal for Crosby likely stems from 25-year-old American midfielder Brenden Aaronson, currently widely viewed as the brightest star at Elland Road.
“I’m loyal to the core, but I want to win. Period. I don’t play this game to sit at home in January.”
— Maxx Crosby, Las Vegas Raiders Defensive End
If a team wants to pry the face of the franchise out of Las Vegas, they have to empty the vault. General Manager John Telesco established a rigid threshold: the Raiders want a return mirroring the historic Micah Parsons trade.
Last August, the Dallas Cowboys shocked the football world by shipping Parsons to the Green Bay Packers. In exchange, Dallas received two first-round draft picks (2026 and 2027) and Pro Bowl defensive tackle Kenny Clark. Any franchise calling about Crosby must surrender premium draft capital and an established starter.
Wildcard scenarios exist. If the Cowboys decide to jump into the Crosby sweepstakes to rebuild their pass rush, a deal could look entirely different. Dallas currently faces a headache with wide receiver George Pickens. The 24-year-old just torched defenses for 1,429 receiving yards in 2025 but wants a $30 million annual payday rather than playing on a restrictive $28.8 million franchise tag. Flipping a dynamic offensive weapon like Pickens for Crosby could drastically alter the traditional trade math.
The NFL Draft clock is ticking, and the Raiders hold all the leverage. Crosby’s contract guarantees his massive $30 million base salary for 2026. The Raiders possess roughly $90 million in cap space and hold the top overall pick, which they are widely expected to use on Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza.
Las Vegas will spend the next two months trying to sell Crosby on Kubiak’s vision and Mendoza’s arm. If they fail to convince their superstar that contention is near, expect a draft-day trade that drastically shifts the power dynamics in both the AFC and NFC.
