admin The Raiders are likely pretty happy about that choice. We caught up with Crosby ahead of training camp.
You literally have two ‘x’s on your name because of how big of a baby you were (11 lbs., 9 oz). Was she also a giant baby?
(laughs) She was eight pounds, 4 oz. Pretty big, but nothing crazy. When it comes to arm and leg length, she’s above average to say the least. She’s growing really fast. She’s already crawling, standing up, she’ll be running around in the next couple weeks.
In the spring of 2021, you talked about your “no days off” mentality. That has certainly shown on the field. What has conditioning been like for you this off-season?
It’s been an incredible off-season. From a training aspect, I sat down with my nutrition guys, my strength staff, everyone I work with, to get ready for another off-season. We came up with a great plan. I got this from Kobe (Bryant): I make agreements with myself. I’ll be in the building by this time, I will do all these different things: I will hit this speed on the field, work up to this, etc. These are the things I’m pushing for and working toward. I still have a few (offseason) weeks left, but I’ll just say this, it’s been an incredible off-season.
We started January 30th and I’ve been training ever since. I’ve had one week off. I finally got it, the week before last, where I could go home (to Texas) and decompress. It was weird. I’m so used to going, going, and focusing on improving. My coach was like, “Take the week, do your normal routine, eat what you are supposed to, do Normatec two hours a day, stretch before bed, etc.” But I wasn’t training. I really had to psych myself out, because I know just one speed. I am so obsessed with becoming the best version of myself and the best in the league, that I will do whatever it takes. And that also requires me to listen. So when coaches tell me to take the week off, it’s time to go home. Go relax. Then the last two weeks I’ve been back training on my regular schedule. I’m at (the Raiders) facility at 6AM, it’s empty, I’m getting after it.
Do you work with one particular trainer or a group of guys?
Rick Slate, he’s my guy, he’s an incredible strength coach, and he’s helped me in so many ways. Without that dude, I don’t know where I’d be as far as an athlete. He’s helping me maximize my potential in the weight room. We’ve created a super special bond and we are continuing to improve at a very fast rate. That dude is just dialed in, he’s so focused on the details.
Your off-season workouts also included an impromptu 10-mile run in Miami. Are you turning into a 6’5,” 250-lb distance runner?
(Laughs) I went to Miami (for a UFC event) and I’d already done my two full days of workouts and training. I had to do two more—a lift and a run. Thursday we did all this training inside with Dana’s trainer. For Friday, I was supposed to run 100s. So Hunter Campbell, Dana (White)’s right hand man, says the day before that he’s got a 10-mile run in the AM and asks, “Who’s coming with me?” Everyone was like, “Hell no,” and I looked at him, like, “What’s up, I’ll do it!” Everyone is looking at me, like, “You don’t want to do that.” We woke up early Friday and ran on South Beach—5 miles down, 5 miles back. It was humid, hot as hell. It was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. I’ve never done anything like it. But I finished, even though the last few miles were difficult.
