Raiders' Crosby takes on asst. GM role with EMU
Written by I Dig Sports
Las Vegas Raiders standout pass rusher Maxx Crosby has been named the assistant general manager for the Eastern Michigan football program, the university announced Monday.
Crosby is the first active NFL player to hold the position. He will help Eastern Michigan evaluate high school and portal prospects, manage its NIL budget and also serve as special assistant to the fundraising, alumni relations and student-athlete support.
"There is no place more important to my personal and athletic development than Eastern Michigan University," Crosby said in a statement released by the school. "It truly is an honor for me to not only be named the Assistant GM of the EMU, but together with my wife Rachel, make another donation aimed at creating opportunities for other athletes to be impacted by the EMU program, community, students and alumni."
Crosby is one of the best defensive players to ever come out of Eastern Michigan. In three seasons, he set the program record with 20 career sacks, and his 41 tackles for loss are the third most in school history.
Crosby, a fourth-round pick in 2019, has recorded 59.5 sacks in six seasons with the Raiders. He was rewarded by the Raiders this offseason, signing a three-year, $106.5 million contract extension in March.
In addition to his role as assistant general manager for EMU, Crosby also launched the "Maxx Match," which is a fundraising challenge in which he will personally match all donations to the Eastern Michigan football program, up to $100,000, made before the end of May.
In 2023, Crosby and his wife Rachel donated $1 million to the football program.
"Maxx Crosby's return to EMU in this leadership role is a transformative moment for our football program," athletic director Scott Wetherbee said in the release. "His passion, vision, and generosity are inspiring, and the Maxx Match is a powerful example of that. ... With him on board, we're building a better football program and a stronger future for EMU athletics."
While Crosby is the first NFL player to take an administrative job with an NCAA team, he is not the only athlete. Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry became the assistant general manager at Davidson College, his alma mater, last month.