{"id":225474,"date":"2025-03-29T13:15:09","date_gmt":"2025-03-29T17:15:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/?p=225474"},"modified":"2025-03-29T12:30:04","modified_gmt":"2025-03-29T16:30:04","slug":"raiders-maxx-crosby-shocking-aaron-rodgers-claim-sparks-nfl-frenzy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/2025\/03\/29\/raiders-maxx-crosby-shocking-aaron-rodgers-claim-sparks-nfl-frenzy\/","title":{"rendered":"Raiders Star DE\u2019s Shocking Aaron Rodgers Claim Sparks NFL Frenzy"},"content":{"rendered":"

The NFL offseason is like a summer blockbuster\u2014explosive rumors, cliffhanger decisions, and enough drama to fill a\u00a0Monday Night Football<\/em>\u00a0halftime show. Just when you think the plot can\u2019t thicken, a twist slams harder than a linebacker blitz. This week, Las Vegas Raiders star Maxx Crosby tossed a Molotov cocktail into the league\u2019s rumor mill, sparking a firestorm about\u00a0Aaron Rodgers\u2019 future\u00a0that\u2019s burning hotter than a tailgate grill in September.<\/p>\n

A four-time MVP quarterback, as enigmatic as a Twin Peaks<\/em>\u00a0rerun, weighing his options while the NFL holds its breath. Will he chase another ring? Or vanish into the sunset like a John Wayne cowboy? Crosby, the Raiders\u2019 sack artist turned podcast provocateur, just bet his silver-and-black jersey on the latter.<\/p>\n

Crosby\u2019s Bold Claim for Rodgers<\/strong><\/h2>\n

On March 27, Crosby declared during The Rush Podcast<\/em><\/a>: \u201cI think he retires. I think the fact that he\u2019s not with Davante (Adams) and he\u2019s not very familiar with Pittsburgh, I don\u2019t know. I think he retires. He\u2019s about 42 now. I would like that… I can\u2019t see him in a Pittsburgh uniform.\u201d<\/em> The statement sent shockwaves through the league. Why?<\/p>\n

Because Crosby had previously lobbied for Rodgers to join the Raiders<\/a>. Now, he\u2019s convinced the 41-year-old QB is done\u2014despite Pittsburgh\u2019s glaring need for a veteran signal-caller. Meanwhile, Rodgers, who turns 42 in December, hasn\u2019t hinted at retirement publicly.<\/p>\n

But his silence speaks volumes. Since visiting the Steelers<\/a> on March 24, he\u2019s stayed quieter than a golf crowd during Tiger Woods\u2019 backswing. Meanwhile, teams like the Giants<\/a> and Vikings<\/a> have moved on, leaving Pittsburgh as Rodgers\u2019 lone potential suitor.<\/p>\n

Why Pittsburgh Doesn\u2019t Add Up<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Crosby\u2019s skepticism isn\u2019t unfounded. Rodgers thrives in systems where he\u2019s the undisputed alpha, flanked by trusted targets. In Green Bay<\/a>, Davante Adams was his security blanket. In Pittsburgh? George Pickens and newcomer DK Metcalf are talented, but they\u2019re no Adams. \u201cMy brain can\u2019t put that together,\u201d<\/em> Crosby admitted. As if it’s ketchup on a hot dog. Works, but it\u2019s not Chicago-style.<\/p>\n

The Steelers\u2019 offensive line also raises red flags. Rodgers missed most of 2023 with a torn Achilles and battled injuries in 2024. Pittsburgh\u2019s young line is as unproven as a rookie QB, a risky proposition for an aging passer.<\/p>\n

Some speculate Rodgers could wait for the Vikings to falter with rookie J.J. McCarthy<\/a>. But Minnesota seems committed to its first-round pick, leaving Rodgers in limbo. As Crosby noted, \u201cI\u2019m a fan of Rodgers. I respect the hell out of him. I think he\u2019s an incredible player. I think it would be dope. But I don\u2019t know. I feel like the universe is speaking to me. I just can\u2019t see him in that uniform, and he\u2019s being weirdly quiet for a reason.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Pittsburgh\u2019s offseason moves hinge on Rodgers. They\u2019ve passed on drafting a QB early and watched rivals snag free agents. If Rodgers walks away, the Steelers\u2019 options shrink to Mason Rudolph<\/a> or a mid-round rookie\u2014a scenario as appealing as a halftime bathroom line.<\/p>\n

Legacy on the Line: A Farewell Fit for a Legend?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Rodgers\u2019 career is a highlight reel of Hail Marys and MVP moments. But his Jets<\/a> tenure ended like a\u00a0Seinfeld<\/em>\u00a0finale\u2014abrupt and unsatisfying. Retiring now risks cementing that sour note. Yet, chasing a paycheck in Pittsburgh could tarnish his legacy faster than a Favre text scandal.<\/p>\n

Crosby, who inked a $106.5 million deal to stay in Vegas, summed it up: \u201cI think it\u2019s good for the league when Rodgers is playing\u2026 [but] I feel like he\u2019s going to retire. That\u2019s my bold prediction..\u201d Besides, <\/em>Aaron Rodgers\u2019 future isn\u2019t just a football decision\u2014it\u2019s a Shakespearean drama. Will he choose glory, pride, or peace? As Crosby\u2019s prediction hangs in the air, one thing\u2019s clear: The NFL\u2019s offseason script has no shortage of twists.<\/p>\n

In the words of\u00a0The Godfather<\/em>\u2019s Michael Corleone, \u201cJust when I thought I was out, they pull me back in.\u201d<\/em> Will Rodgers resist the pull, or is Crosby\u2019s crystal ball right?<\/p>\n

Main Photo: Kevin R. Wexler – Imagn Images<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The NFL offseason is like a summer blockbuster\u2014explosive rumors, cliffhanger decisions, and enough drama to fill a\u00a0Monday Night Football\u00a0halftime show. Just when you think the plot can\u2019t thicken, a twist slams harder than a linebacker blitz. This week, Las Vegas Raiders star Maxx Crosby tossed a Molotov cocktail into the league\u2019s rumor mill, sparking a […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5474,"featured_media":225483,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[36,17,6],"tags":[275,1039,4871,9146,32491,3573,5855],"class_list":["post-225474","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nfl-news","category-raiders","category-jets","tag-aaron-rodgers","tag-davante-adams","tag-dk-metcalf","tag-george-pickens","tag-jj-mccarthy","tag-mason-rudolph","tag-maxx-crosby"],"modified_by":"David Latham, Managing Editor","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/225474","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5474"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=225474"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/225474\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":225484,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/225474\/revisions\/225484"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/225483"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=225474"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=225474"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=225474"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}