Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Kirk Cousins and edge rusher Maxx Crosby were held out of Saturday’s training camp practice in Henderson, Nevada, for disciplinary reasons after an altercation during Friday’s session, according to head coach Klint Kubiak. The scuffle violated team rules regarding practice conduct.
Raiders Discipline Cousins and Maxx Crosby After Practice Fight
The incident began when Crosby tipped a pair of Cousins’ passes at the release point. Although Crosby stayed off Cousins’ body to comply with rules avoiding contact with the quarterback, he appeared to hit Cousins’ hand as the quarterback threw on the second tip. Cousins took exception, jawing at Crosby before grabbing his jersey and starting a shouting match. The two continued to argue after being separated, though neither threw a punch. Ryan McFadden of ESPN first reported that the altercation started after Crosby hit Cousins for a second time.
We have very clear expectations on how we want to practice and how we want to go about our business, and we violated that yesterday, so (we) held those guys out,
Kubiak said. Kubiak added that the team addressed the incident and is moving on, noting that both players will return to practice during the Raiders’ next session on Monday.
Crosby’s Competitive Motor and Team Rules
Crosby has built a reputation as one of the league’s top defensive players due to a relentless motor that persists even in practice settings. New Raiders coaches have acknowledged this competitive drive while attempting to keep players safe, holding conversations with Crosby before camp about staying away from the quarterback.
I know that I push the line, and sometimes I go over the line,
Crosby said on July 29. Ultimately, it’s because I want to be the greatest at what I do, and I want to push my teammates to be the greatest version of themselves. So, when you get out there, and bullets are flying, I’m not thinking about not finishing the play. That’s just not in my nature.
Teammates downplayed the long-term severity of the clash between the offensive and defensive leaders. You want him to defend your team,
tight end Michael Mayer said of Cousins. He’s always had [that edge] since the first day I met him when he came in here.
Kubiak also minimized the ongoing concern, pointing out that those are two leaders on our team going at it
while emphasizing that fighting during an actual game would result in an ejection.
Mendoza Steps Up With First-Team Reps
Cousins and Crosby missing team sessions on Saturday opened the door for rookie Fernando Mendoza, who took first-team reps as a Raider for the first time (Yahoo Sports, nytimes.com). Mendoza worked with both the ones and twos while Aidan O’Connell handled third-team duties.
After a slow start that featured missed passes in the end zone, Mendoza rebounded sharply during the red zone period (Yahoo Sports, nytimes.com). He connected with Michael Mayer for a scramble-drill touchdown and threw a precise out route to receiver Tre Tucker for another score. Mendoza ended the morning strong during the two-minute drill by completing five passes in a row to set up a field goal before time expired (Yahoo Sports, nytimes.com).
Quarterbacks coach Mike Sullivan praised the rookie’s progress. Fernando continues to improve,
Sullivan said. He’s not repeating mistakes, which is always a good thing. It’s a long process, and we’re pleased with how he’s developing.
The extended work allowed Mendoza to creep up on consideration for the Week 1 starting quarterback position (Yahoo Sports).
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