Kirk Cousins gets into Maxx Crosby's face after hits at Raiders training camp

At the end of Las Vegas Raiders' practice session on August 7, quarterback Kirk Cousins and edge rusher Maxx Crosby exchanged words and engaged in a brief altercation, according to multiple reports. The incident occurred after Crosby repeatedly hit Cousins during the session. The veteran quarterback confronted his teammate, grabbing Crosby's jersey and exchanging heated words before the confrontation was broken up by coaches.

Raiders coach Klint Kubiak, while not overly concerned about the tussle during his post-practice media availability, emphasized that such confrontations are common during training camp. "That's training camp," Kubiak stated. "Those are two leaders of our team going at it. That is part of camp." Training camp brawls are not uncommon in the NFL, even among star players, as demonstrated by a similar incident involving Tennessee Titans defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons just days prior.

Despite the coach's nonchalance, Kubiak stressed the importance of players maintaining a "smart" approach during training camp sessions. "Obviously, you fight in a game – you throw a punch in a game, especially – then you're out of the game," Kubiak said. "So, we've gotta be smart. Treat it like a game."

Cousins, preparing for his debut as a member of the Raiders following his free-agent signing in the 2026 NFL offseason, is set to start in Week 1 alongside rookie Fernando Mendoza. Teammate Michael Mayer, who praised Cousins for his tenacious play, expressed his desire for the starting quarterback to have the edge to defend his team. "You want him to have some edge to him, which he does. He's always had [that] since the first day I met him when he came in here," Mayer remarked.