Is The Last Vegas Raiders-San Francisco 49ers Rivalry Still Alive? Maxx Crosby's Blunt Reaction Raises Questions

Maxx Crosby of the Las Vegas Raiders stays calm after the San Francisco 49ers fan brawls© Image via: X/@NFL

Some rivalries fade when a team moves. This one packed its bags and followed the Las Vegas Raiders to the desert. After the San Francisco 49ers beat them 38-17 at Levi's Stadium on November 8, Santa Clara police made 11 arrests and removed 45 fans. Maxx Crosby, the Raiders edge rusher, watched the viral clips and felt no shock at all. Meanwhile, his front office made a loud choice at the trade deadline, sending Kirk Cousins to the Minnesota Vikings while keeping Crosby. Together, those two stories show exactly where the Raiders franchise stands today.

Why Maxx Crosby Was Not Shocked By The Las Vegas Raiders And San Francisco 49ers Fan Fights

Maxx Crosby addressed the chaos on The Rush podcast. He laughed, yet he never defended a single punch. He spoke like a veteran who has seen this before, since he played on the final Oakland team in 2019. Here is his full take:

“Everyone's seen the videos going viral. We don't have to comment too much on that, but I mean, the amount of brawls going on in the parking lot, the passion is real, to say the least. And I was not surprised at all once all those videos started going viral. I'm like, ‘Oh my god.' But that's how it was in Oakland, and that's a real war,”

The violence has a long history. A 2011 preseason game at Candlestick Park brought two parking lot shootings, and the Raiders' 2018 visit to Levi's Stadium led to 32 arrests. San Francisco tackle Trent Williams believes the fire never died:

With the Raiders sending Kirk Cousins to the Vikings, can the Cowboys make a trade for Maxx Crosby before it's too late? https://t.co/a06LuphdfH

— 105.3 The FAN (@1053thefan) November 10, 2026

“Obviously, the fan engagement with this game is nuts, it's through the roof. Since they've been in Vegas so long, we don't really feel it. But obviously the fans haven't forgotten.”

How The Las Vegas Raiders Kept Maxx Crosby While Kirk Cousins Left For The Minnesota Vikings

The Raiders also made a statement on deadline day. They moved Cousins, who won their first three games, and they handed the offense to rookie Fernando Mendoza, the first overall pick. Crosby stayed. General manager John Spytek kept his message short: "We're always going to make the best decision for the Raiders," and he added, "We say no a lot more than we say yes."

The logic is easy to follow. A first-year head coach and a young quarterback need a leader on defense, and Crosby has said he wants to spend his career in Las Vegas. At 4-5, the Raiders host the Seattle Seahawks next, with Mendoza taking snaps and Crosby rushing the edge. Whatever happens, he will stand at the center of it.