Cousins, Crosby scuffle at Raiders training camp
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- Maxx Crosby hit quarterback Kirk Cousins twice during team period at Friday's eighth Raiders training camp practice in Henderson, Nev., and after the second hit to Cousins' arm the 15-year veteran grabbed Crosby's jersey and exchanged words.
- Raiders coach Klint Kubiak called it "two leaders on our team going at it" but warned that fighting or throwing a punch in a game results in immediate ejection.
- Defensive lineman Jonah Laulu punched second-year right guard Caleb Rogers earlier in the same Friday practice, making it one of multiple scuffles on the day.
- Tight end Michael Mayer defended Cousins' reaction, saying "You want him to defend your team" and noting the QB has carried that intensity since arriving.
- Maxx Crosby said the coaching staff warned him pre-camp about touching the quarterback and recalled that his Eastern Michigan coach Chris Creighton sometimes had to kick him out of practice for being too aggressive.
- Michael Mayer summed up the camp mood: "We don't want to be throwing punches, but I think on any padded day of camp there's going to be some [scuffles].
Why it matters: With the Raiders entering a new era under Kubiak, how he manages intensity between established stars like Crosby and Cousins sets the tone for a defense built around Crosby and a passing game now run by the veteran QB. Kubiak drew a firm line — punches or fights in a game mean ejection — showing he'll hold even his most passionate players to that standard.
