Las Vegas Raiders' standout pass rusher Maxx Crosby has assumed the role of assistant general manager for the Eastern Michigan football program, becoming the first active NFL player to hold such a position. Crosby will be involved in evaluating high school and portal prospects, managing the NIL budget, and providing support in fundraising, alumni relations, and student-athlete assistance for the program.
Having set records during his time at Eastern Michigan with 20 career sacks and ranking third in school history with 41 tackles for loss, Crosby has established himself as one of the program's top defensive players. With 59.5 sacks in six seasons with the Raiders, he recently signed a lucrative three-year, $106.5 million contract extension. In addition to his new role at EMU, Crosby initiated the "Maxx Match" fundraising challenge, pledging to match donations up to $100,000 for the Eastern Michigan football program before the end of May.
Eastern Michigan's athletic director, Scott Wetherbee, hailed Crosby's return to EMU as a pivotal moment for the football program, praising his dedication, vision, and philanthropy. While Crosby is the first NFL player to take on an administrative role in an NCAA team, other athletes like Golden State Warriors' Stephen Curry have also ventured into similar positions, with Curry recently becoming the assistant general manager at his alma mater, Davidson College.