Maxx Crosby has intriguing explanation after shoving Las Vegas Raiders coach on sideline

Maxx Crosby has stated that people are misinterpreting his push on Las Vegas Raiders coach Mike Caldwell after he shoved the defensive assistant when leaving the field.

Crosby combined with teammate John Jenkins for a sack on Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Justin Fields to take the Raiders defense off the field in a game they were being beaten in before Caldwell motioned toward the superstar pass-rusher and said something to him before he reacted. Crosby pushed the coach, continuing to walk to his bench, with no one reacting to the incident.

The 27-year-old has claimed the shove to be a 'love push' rather than one out of anger - admitting he had been hyped up after making the big play to help his team.

• Dallas Cowboys hit by another injury with defensive star out for Detroit Lions clash
• Will Levis decision confirmed as Tennessee Titans coach stays true to word

Speaking to reporters in the locker room after the incident, Crosby told reporters that he'd checked his phone and seen the comments around the incident.

He said: "I have my phone blowing up as I'm in the cold tub, trying to get ready for next week already, and people, you know how they do it - they just spin narratives. Mike Caldwell's a great dude. We have a great relationship and we do that all the time. It's like people look at it, 'Oh, they're losing and then Maxx pushes him.

"That's how we play football, we're grown men, we're alpha males, we don't greet each other the same. So he was hyping me up and I hyped him up. We're down, but it just showed we're not quitting." After this incident, he tweeted: "Mike Caldwell Is My Guy. One Of The Best People In The Business. Thats A Love Push, Stop Reaching."

Follow us on X for the best and latest in sports news

Crosby added when asked if there was any beef between the two: "There's literally zero ... it's completely made up out of dust. The camera, they made it look bad. It looked like I was throwing him out of the club, but that was not what happened at all."

Many had taken the shove to be a lack of respect towards the coaching staff, with Crosby being frustrated as the Raiders continue to lose - and look set for another lost season.

Crosby, who might be the best pass-rusher in the NFL, has had his name floated around in trade rumors in recent weeks, but has already spoken of his love for the team in Las Vegas. This past week, he said: "These guys know I’ll take a bullet for them, everyone in this locker room. You know where I want to be. You think I want to be anywhere else? No. I have this ---- tatted on my body. I don’t want to go anywhere."

Want to watch more live sports? Peacock has your favorite sports, shows, and more all in one place. Peacock offers plans starting at $7.99 so you can stream live sports like NFL, Premier League, and Big Ten Football.