Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Kirk Cousins and defensive end Maxx Crosby have been suspended from team drills following a physical altercation during practice on Saturday. The incident led to teammates intervening to separate the two players.
Head coach Klint Kubiak addressed the suspensions, stating, "We have very clear expectations about how we want to practice, how you go about our business. We violated that yesterday, so we held those guys out. That's all I'm going to say about it. We addressed it with the team and we're moving on."
The confrontation reportedly began when Cousins became upset after Crosby tipped his pass, resulting in an incompletion. Cousins then approached Crosby, who is significantly larger than the quarterback.
The suspension provided an opportunity for rookie quarterback Fernando Mendoza to lead the starting offense during practice. Mendoza was selected by the Raiders with the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. The team also signed the veteran Cousins, a four-time Pro Bowler, to a two-year contract worth $12.6 million in April. He is expected to be nearly 38 years old.
Crosby, a five-time Pro Bowler, was nearly traded to the Baltimore Ravens in March, but the deal fell through due to long-term medical concerns identified by the Ravens.
The Raiders are preparing for their upcoming season under Kubiak, their new head coach, after finishing the previous season with a 3-14 record.