Kirk Cousins explains Max Crosby practice dustup over elbow
Raiders quarterback Kirk Cousins said his latest practice dustup involving Max Crosby and Houston Texans defenders stemmed from contact to his throwing arm. After an earlier August clash with Max Crosby that led to both being held out of drills, Cousins reiterated Tuesday that hips and ribs are fine—but his elbow and arm are off-limits.
Cousins explained the flare-up after the Las Vegas Raiders' joint practice with the Houston Texans on Tuesday, telling reporters his elbow had been hit. The veteran QB framed the issue as protecting his livelihood ahead of the season, not a blanket ban on contact.
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Key Takeaways
- Cousins said Tuesday's dustup happened because "my elbow got hit" during joint practice with the Texans.
- He told Max Crosby he can be touched anywhere except the arm; ribs and hips are acceptable.
- Cousins and Max Crosby were previously held out of team drills after an Aug. 7 practice fight.
- He warned Texans defenders to stay off his throwing arm and questioned the red-jersey rule if it is ignored.
Why did Kirk Cousins get upset in practice?
According to NFL.com, Cousins got fiery when defenders came too close during Tuesday's joint practice in Houston. He said the trigger was simple: contact to his elbow.
Unlike the earlier skirmish with Max Crosby that got both players banned from team drills, order was restored more quickly Tuesday, reporters noted. Cousins still made sure Houston's defenders heard him loud and clear.
What did Cousins tell Max Crosby about contact?
Cousins said he jokes with Max Crosby: "You can touch me anywhere you want, just don't touch my arm." Bumps to the ribs or hips are fine, he argued, because they simulate game feel.
He drew a harder line at the elbow and shoulders, where he said he could sprain something easily. Cousins cited scars from real-game hits where helmets went into armpits and "ruins your season," per reports from the Las Vegas Review-Journal relayed by NFL.com and Bleacher Report.
"I was just asking (Crosby) to just stay off the arm, and I had to remind the Texans as well," Cousins said.
How does this connect to the earlier Raiders dustup?
Cousins and Max Crosby clashed at the Raiders' Aug. 7 practice after Crosby hit Cousins twice during a team period, per ESPN's Ryan McFadden as reported by Bleacher Report. Head coach Klint Kubiak held both out of the next day's practices for violating clear practice expectations.
Tuesday's scene was a version of that dispute, the New York Post reported: after Houston defenders made contact with Cousins' throwing arm, he barked at the Texans in a tirade that echoed across the facility.
Why does the red jersey matter to Cousins?
Quarterbacks wear red jerseys in practice because they are supposed to be off-limits to contact. Cousins said that only works if everyone agrees on the rule.
"I might as well just take the red jersey off because you're playing with, sometimes, an understood rule that if it's not understood, then what are we doing?" he quipped.
The 38-year-old Cousins is on a one-year, $11.3 million deal and is expected to open the season as QB1, with Kubiak saying the job is "his to lose," per Bleacher Report.