Maxx Crosby DONE WITH RAIDERS, wants to play for Vrabel & Patriots | Colin Cowherd REACTS: HERD NFL

What this episode is about

Max Crosby, a standout player for the Raiders, is expressing his desire to join the New England Patriots and play under head coach Mike Vrabel, who is praised for his unique blend of tough love and genuine care for his players. The discussion highlights the significance of coaching brands in the NFL, noting how Vrabel's physical presence and emotional connections set him apart as a leader that players aspire to work with.

Key takeaways

• Mike Vrabel's emotional intelligence turns hard-nosed coaching into a player magnet—tough love never goes out of style.
• Players can smell inauthenticity. Vrabel's genuine approach sets him apart in a league rife with facades.
• Max Crosby: the relentless dog of the Raiders—more consistent than Micah Parsons, even if he lacks the spotlight.
• Vrabel's intimidating presence works against him—proof that sometimes, size can be both a blessing and a curse.
• Draft hype aside, players like Crosby show real talent often emerges from underdog schools; perception isn't everything.

Who speaks in this episode?

• Colin Cowherd (Host) · 13 min speaking
• Chris Long (Guest) · 2 min speaking
• Jay Glazer (Guest) · 1 min speaking

What is discussed, and when

1. 0:00 – 3:00: Mike Vrabel, Max Crosby, Matthew Stafford, Chris Long
2. 3:00 – 6:00: Max Crosby, Micah Parsons, Mike Vrabel, Shawn Peyton
3. 6:00 – 9:00: Max Crosby, Zbiotics, NFL
4. 9:00 – 12:00: Seahawks, Dak Prescott
5. 12:00 – 15:00: Dak Prescott, Matthew Stafford, Shawn Peyton
6. 15:00 – 16:22: Max Crosby

Notable quotes from "Maxx Crosby DONE WITH RAIDERS, wants to play for Vrabel & Patriots | Colin Cowherd REACTS: HERD NFL"

• And I really love this headline because, I like Mike Frabel. and I love Max Crosby. Max Crosby of the Raiders reportedly wants to play where does he want to play?

  about Max Crosby · at 0:11

• McVey energy innovation Harbaugh physicality. And the two words I would use with Mike Vrabel, tough love.

  about Mike Vrabel · at 1:17

• Mike Vrabel is who he is. What you see is what you get. Players appreciate that. And we also appreciate being told the truth. That's one thing I always appreciate about Bell Bichc was, you.

  about Chris Long · at 2:49

• So, and Micah is good. I'm not saying that, but I always felt, and I've had GMs tell me this, Micah is a splash player. He makes very memorable plays, and he's very good. And…

  about Micah Parsons · at 5:29

• Without sacrificing your productivity the next day, Zbiotics pre-alcohol has you covered. Start your night with pre-alcohol. Wake up ready to show up for work the next day.

  about Zbiotics · at 8:17

• How many career playoff wins for Dak Prescott?

  about Dak Prescott · at 13:04

• Final story, Colin. Shawn McVey and Lesne are locked in for next season, but now the question becomes, what about Matthew Stafford? the likely MVP should return for his 18th season. I'm.

  about Shawn Peyton · at 14:28

• Don't worry about replacing them. Just stack players around them. You may never get the Rams will probably never get a quarterback ever again as good as Matt Stafford. I'm not drafting his replacement until I have to. Yeah.

  about Matthew Stafford · at 16:05

Who and what is mentioned in this episode?

People

• Max Crosby — Person · Primary referenced player / trade subject · 7 mentions · first at 0:16
  Central player discussed as a potential trade target and as an example of a high-motor, run-stout edge defender whose value could net the Raiders a major return.
• Mike Vrabel — Person · Primary referenced coach / coaching-brand example · 4 mentions · first at 0:27
  Used as the main example of a coach with a distinct 'brand' (tough love) that players want to play for; framed as a destination coach for stars like Crosby.
• Micah Parsons — Person · Referenced player / comparison target · 2 mentions · first at 4:45
  Contrasted with Crosby: framed as a 'splash player' who can disappear vs the run and struggle vs elite tackles, used to argue Crosby’s superior consistency.
• Dak Prescott — Person · Referenced quarterback / performance comparison point · 3 mentions · first at 10:51
  Discussed in the context of Cowboys' postseason shortcomings and how early-career impressions can overvalue a QB relative to later playoff performance.
• Matthew Stafford — Person · Referenced quarterback / roster-building focal point · 2 mentions · first at 0:39
  Used to discuss the Rams’ short-term contention window and the strategy of stacking the roster rather than drafting a replacement QB immediately.
• Shawn Peyton — Person · Referenced coach / leadership-style comparison · 2 mentions · first at 3:18
  Cited as a coach similar to Vrabel in allowing confrontational 'bark back' accountability without grudges—supporting the 'authentic tough love' theme.
• Chris Long — Person · Referenced analyst / quoted former player · 1 mention · first at 2:41
  Provides supporting testimony about Vrabel’s authenticity and the value of coaches who tell players the truth, reinforcing the segment’s main thesis.
• Aidan Hutchinson — Person · Referenced player / stylistic comp · 1 mention · first at 5:22
  Mentioned as a comparable 'relentless' edge defender archetype to illustrate Crosby’s every-down motor and consistency.
  Max Crosby is not a splash player. Max Crosby is a relentless dog. Very much like Aiden Hutchinson or a Miles Garrett. He just doesn't take plays off.

Companies & orgs

• Seahawks — Company · Case study · 2 mentions · first at 9:17
  Discussed in the context of a player injury and its potential impact on the team's performance.
  It's been a huge week in the NBA column, but we're starting with the NFL because there is actual news in the Super Bowl and it's not great for Seattle. Nick Amanari, the great young talent in the.

Concepts & topics

• NFL — Concept · Core topic · 1 mention · first at 7:16
  Central theme of the episode, discussing various teams, players, and strategies within the NFL.
  Welcome to the Herds official YouTube channel. Make sure to like and subscribe. Don't forget to check out the Colin Coward podcast, all of our NFL instant reactions, and more…

Sponsors

• Zbiotics — Product · Sponsor · 2 mentions · first at 8:18
  Promoted as a probiotic drink designed to prevent hangovers, mentioned during an ad read segment.

Full transcript with timestamps

0:00 Welcome to the Herds official YouTube channel. Make sure to like and subscribe. Don't forget to check out the Colin Coward podcast, all of our NFL instant reactions, and more football content. Okay, so I saw this headline and I really love this headline because, you know, I like Mike Frabel. Um, and you know, I love Max Crosby. Max Crosby of the Raiders reportedly wants to play where does he want to play? this team, that team, the best team, the AFC, the FC. Max Crosby wants to play for Mike Vrabel. And running backs and quarterbacks want to play with Kyle Shanahan.

0:39 Matt Stafford took less to play with Shawn McVey. You see Vrabel in the tunnel with players emotionally hugging them. And he's not just doing that to the stars. He's doing that to gunners on special teams and long snappers. That image is so incredibly powerful throughout the league. And there are only five or six head coaches, that's about it, in this league that have a brand. That doesn't mean there's only five or six great coaches, but that have a brand. Shanahan schemes, Andy Reid, creativity. McVey energy innovation Harbaugh physicality. And the two words I would use with Mike Vrabel, tough love.

1:27 Nobody is going to be harder on you and love you more than dad and Mike Vrabel. And Vrabel's brand is virtually impossible to duplicate because of his size and physicality. Apparently he intimidated people in Tennessee. Like he was intimidating. And there were reports that when he was interviewing for jobs, you know, people remarked about his sheer size and and presence in the room and it it worked against him. I I can't imagine it would, but those were the stories. So, you can't really duplicate him. And the other thing is there's two things in the league you cannot fake.

2:12 And I would say among proathletes, you can't fake a tough guy. Those who know, no, you can't fake being a tough guy. You also can't fake that you really, really deeply care about your players. Players can smell fake tough guys. They can sniff out the guy who says he loves you but doesn't. So Vrabel to me is a very unique coach. Chris Long um and he's such a good fit in New England. Chris Long yesterday on the show talked about that.

2:49 Mike Vrabel is who he is. What you see is what you get. Players appreciate that. And we also appreciate being told the truth. That's one thing I always appreciate about Bell Bichc was, you know, like I had coaches that would walk a mile around confrontation and and telling you the truth and telling you if if what you were doing wasn't cutting it or what we were doing as a team, something needed to change. Hiring Mike Vrabel is going to is going to turn out to be one of the best uh decisions a team has made this decade.

3:18 And by the way, Shawn Peyton has some of this. Vrabel and Shawn Payton, they'll bark at you. They allow you to bark back and they don't hold grudges. I mean, nobody, nothing pettier than holding grudges. Shawn Payeyton barks at Boon Knicks. Bick's barks back. Shawn barks back. Bo barks back again and they don't hold grudges. He loves him. And Vrabel has that quality. And it even among coaches, you'd think that was universal. It's not. There's pettiness in every industry. And Vrabel just doesn't have that. Max Crosby is reportedly, according to Jay Glazer, Jay's been on a heater, uh, is done with the Raiders.

3:58 So, here is this is actually the Raiders. This actually is not terrible for the Raiders because Max Crosby has not translated into success, right? Like like they they haven't had the right coach and the right quarterback. And I think they now have both. But Max is going to get you an absolute hull. really good teams. Good teams that probably could talk themselves into winning a Super Bowl with Max. New England, the Bears, and the Ravens all could use Max Crosby. Okay, the Patriots could use him. The Ravens could use him. The Bears could absolutely use him. I could absolutely see in all three teams giving up a first round pick or more. And here's the thing. Micah Parsons, five-star recruit, goes to big brand Penn State, first round pick, goes to the Cowboys, is viewed one way, but to me, he's a splash player who disappears against the run and has been overwhelmed by really elite left tackles

5:05 in the postseason. Max Crosby goes to Eastern Michigan, fourthround pick, goes to the lowly Raiders. For a long time, he's viewed another way. To me, Max Crosby is the better player. Max Crosby's much better against the run. Max Crosby is not a splash player. Max Crosby is a relentless dog. Very much like Aiden Hutchinson or a Miles Garrett. He just doesn't take plays off. So, um, and Micah is good. I'm not saying that, but I always felt, and I've had GMs tell me this, Micah is a splash player. He makes very memorable plays, and he's very good. And Green Bay's defense was not as good when he got injured. I'm not saying Mike is not a first round talent, but Crosby is better against the run. I think you get a more consistent effort. So, if the Raiders do move off him, um they're going to get a haul, a hall.

5:59 When I talk to executives around this league and I say like, who do you think is a a a a guy who's a great player? Take out quarterbacks. And I've asked this question before. Take out quarterbacks. Give me three guys in the league you die to have. Like without question, Max Crosby gets named. Here was Jay Glazer this week on his future. There's a couple guys. If they tell you they're playing, they're playing. It's not open for discussion. They're playing. There's certain guys they need it.

6:37 Do you think he you think his time with the Raiders is done? I do. Before the draft.

6:45 Yeah, probably. Yeah. What kind of hole do you think realistically a Max Crosby gets in general? He um probably more than Micah. So the day it happened, no less than 20 teams called me.

7:02 20 teams on Max Crosby. He's only played with one defensive Pro Bowler. He's been double. Everybody knows you got to stop one Raider. He's Sequin and Matt Stafford. He just needs the right fit. With a big game coming up, we're all about enjoying the moment without paying for it the next day. Whether I'm hosting friends, jamming, cheering from the couch, heading to a watch party, I want to be fully present and still feel good in the morning. For me, that means planning ahead, especially if I want to have a few drinks. My simple trick, start the night with Ziotics Pre-alcohol. Ziotics pre-alcohol probiotic drink. The world's first genetically engineered probiotic.

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8:54 TURN ON THE NEWS. THIS is the herd line news. It's been a huge week in the NBA column, but we're starting with the NFL because there is actual news in the Super Bowl and it's not great for Seattle. Nick Amanari, the great young talent in the secondary, a great chess piece who can play in the box in the secondary, injured his ankle at practice yesterday. And we have video footage of him walking into the hotel last night. If you have not seen this, it's not great news for Seahawks fans. Here's getting out of an SUV. And you can see he's clearly laboring. Unless he's hamming it up for the cameras, Colin, this does not look good. That is a pronounced limp. Now maybe you shoot him up with, you know,

9:31 so that's Wednesday night. Yeah. I mean, okay, so he's got to practice Thursday. We'll see what happens today at practice. Then he's got Friday Saturday.

9:38 Young players heal very quickly. I mean, depending what All right. I mean, that just doesn't look great. That's not natural.

9:45 That's what I looked last night out of a car, but for different reasons. I was getting some reports about you uh last night getting after it. Obviously, Amwari is what really makes his defense go now. They secondary is loaded. Witherspoon. so versatile and and and you know safety is a position in the league that's in vogue now.

10:05 Yeah. Like a lot of the really good teams are safeties are moving up draft boards. So and it's a very cyclical league. Nobody likes running backs now. Everybody wants running back. These two teams run the ball. Safety has become a kind of a an alpha on these defenses. A versatile safety who can cover, who can pass rush. This kid can get sacks,

10:25 tackle. He's a great tackler. Yeah. So, this is a he can match up with your wide receiver, your tight end, your running back out of the back field, all of it. Like, he's all over the board. This would be a big blow to Seattle if he's unable to play, but it's it's still what's say Thursday. Hopefully, he'll be fine in uh in time. Um all right, let's go to the next story. The Dallas Cowboys, Colin, you know, they haven't been to an NFC Championship game since 1995. My goodness, so embarrassing. And of course, Dak Prescott's at the Super Bowl and he's getting asked on his chances of making a Super Bowl in the future.

10:58 monkey gorilla, you know, he he grows, he gets bigger each year that we don't make it. Um, and that's real. You know, talking to Micah, uh, just, you know, it's like it's one of those things, you know, you become a rookie, you get in here and, you know, everybody thinks they can win the Super Bowl and they think how easy it is. And when you have a year like I did as a rookie year, you think you're going to have multiple opportunities to get back, and you sit here in year 10, um, having opportunities in the playoffs and not doing what you wanted to do as a team and definitely individually, um, it hurts. And every year, um, you know, it just means even more.

11:24 You know, it's interesting. He's a little bit of the opposite of Sam Darnold. So, the first impressions of Darnold is bust. Yeah. But inside the league, everybody's like, "No, he's one of the best athletes I've ever seen play the position." Dak comes onto the scene as a fourthrounder.

11:43 Dallas Cowboys big brand offensive coach, very quick, the best offensive line in the league. The initial imagery of Dak is this guy's a Hall of Famer,

11:53 isn't it? 24 touchdowns, two picks as a rookie. 13 and three. They had the best O line. Very quickly had Zeke.

11:59 So the early belief on on Dak after like two years was this going to be a Hall of Famer. This is an elite player. And Dak has sort of plateaued because he's not a great athlete. He doesn't have a big arm. Darnold's a much more talented player. But Darnold's initial the embedded part of Darnold is can't play sees go. The initial part with Dak. So my take on Dak has always been he got overvalued because he walked into a really good if you have the best offensive line in the league. I mean for a quarterback it's hard

12:29 it's hard to fail. I think he started as a third string quarterback in preseason. It was Romo who got hurt. Then there was a backup whose name escapes you and then Dak comes in. People are no expectations. He was he was amazing.

12:42 He had a game at the Coliseum. I thought it was a preseason game or something and people went

12:47 Yeah, dude. He was good. But but as you later found out, there are limitations when you put him in playoff games against elite teams. He's been a very average postseason quarterback.

13:00 So I got a a surprise question for you. It's not on the sheet here. Well, okay.

13:04 How many career playoff wins for Dak Prescott? Two. Correct. Sam Darnold has two this postseason. Drake May has three already. And I look at Dak and I'm like, he he hasn't been great in the playoffs. But Colin, has Jerry Jones put a great team around him?

13:19 No. My my argument is just on the imagery. The initial first two years of Sam was camp. The initial because of what he inherited in Dallas was unbelievable player. The truth is today if you ask GM, Sam's more talented. But those first impressions die slowly.

13:40 Yeah. I mean, Brock Perie, my guy, five playoff wins. Five first impression for Brock was like, "Holy, he didn't lose a game." Remember the first first time when he came in as the backup.

13:49 And now has reality set in with Brock Le, he gets dinged up. There are He can be a bit reckless. He does need to have a little better protection. Yeah, but the first impressions I mean, by the way, first impressions of Jaylen Herz was Oh, wow. Seeing a I heard two two things last night at a Super Bowl party. The Jaylen Herz locker room stuff is not good. He is not popular.

14:20 The narratives. Listen, I got to defend my guy Herz. I'm dug in. You know, defending Super Bowl MVP Jaylen Herz. Let's put some respect on his name. Final story, Colin. Shawn McVey and Lesne are locked in for next season, but now the question becomes, what about Matthew Stafford? the likely MVP should return for his 18th season. I'm told he's coming back, but Sneeed addressed that future. Here we go.

14:45 At the macro level, I think we uh when Matthew's uh on the horse, we go, let's make the most of our time with Matthew and we're well aware that there will be a time where we have to transition. So, we're kind of you kind of do both at the same time. uh where because there will be two different teams with or without Matthew uh obviously with the position he plays and how important that position is and how well he plays it.

15:10 I actually think it's pretty cool. I've thought about this with the Rams. They have two first this year. Don't worry about a quarterback and it's not a great quarterback draft. Just stack the team because the following year you're probably going to have to give up all sorts of draft picks to get your quarterback. And the Rams are still very young on defense. So why not just ride with Stafford instead of worrying about his replacement? You got Garopolo as a backup. He's he's capable to win games. Stack take every one of these picks and make sure they fit with Stafford and just and just make a run at the Super Bowl. I mean, Sean McVey has made two Super Bowls. He gets to three, he's on a short list of coaches who can do that.

15:50 We're we're so worried about replacing players. You don't get many Max Crosby's. You don't get you don't get many um Patrick Certain for the Broncos. Those are once a decade players.

16:05 Don't worry about replacing them. Just stack players around them. You may never get the Rams will probably never get a quarterback ever again as good as Matt Stafford. I'm not drafting his replacement until I have to. Yeah.

Questions about this episode

Who speaks in "Maxx Crosby DONE WITH RAIDERS, wants to play for Vrabel & Patriots | Colin Cowherd REACTS: HERD NFL"?

Colin Cowherd (Host), Chris Long (Guest), Jay Glazer (Guest).

What is "Maxx Crosby DONE WITH RAIDERS, wants to play for Vrabel & Patriots | Colin Cowherd REACTS: HERD NFL" about?

Max Crosby, a standout player for the Raiders, is expressing his desire to join the New England Patriots and play under head coach Mike Vrabel, who is praised for his unique blend of tough love and genuine care for his players. The discussion highlights the significance of coaching brands in the NFL, noting how Vrabel's physical presence and emotional connections set him apart as a leader that…

What is mentioned in this The Herd with Colin Cowherd episode?

11 people, works and ideas are mentioned, including Max Crosby, Mike Vrabel, NFL, Micah Parsons, Dak Prescott, Matthew Stafford. Each one on this page links to its own page with every episode that mentions it.

How long is "Maxx Crosby DONE WITH RAIDERS, wants to play for Vrabel & Patriots | Colin Cowherd REACTS: HERD NFL"?

The episode runs 16 min; the transcript is about 2,825 words in 38 timestamped sections.

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