Maxx Crosby's Name to be Added to EMU Football Field
Maxx Crosby's Name to be Added to EMU Football Field
Crosby, very conveniently in town for his Monday Night Football game at Ford Field, donated $1M to his alma mater.
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Today was already going to be an exciting day for the Eastern Michigan-Detroit Lions football fans. Monday Night Football comes to Detroit for the first time since 2018, but this MNF stage seems so much larger than last time. Lions fans are already excited enough for this Monday Night game to be coupled with the team’s exciting start to the season.
For the fans who, generally, wear Honolulu blue on Sundays and EMU green on Saturdays, they’ll get to see an old friend play on Ford Field to represent the Vegas Raiders. That alone is exciting enough for the local football lovers, but now the appreciation level just went up a few notches.
On Sunday, Maxx Crosby pledged a $1 million donation to EMU Athletics and will see his name be added to the field next year. It’ll be something along the lines of ‘Maxx Crosby Field at Rynearson Stadium.’
Crosby’s comments, from EMU’s press release:
"First and foremost, Eastern Michigan University holds a very special place in my heart and I am incredibly grateful for the significant role my EMU experience has played in shaping my life as an athlete and as a man," mentioned Crosby. "Without the opportunity to attend EMU, I would not have met my wife, Rachel, who has given me the most beautiful gift imaginable in our daughter, Ella. Without EMU, I wouldn't have the lifelong friends that now serve as advisors and business partners. Without EMU, I may not have ever had the opportunity to achieve my dream of playing in the National Football League. With an immense amount of humility and gratitude for the continued support of the administration, teachers, coaches, athletes, and students, I am committing to a $1 million gift to Eastern Michigan University Athletics."
Crosby has been a source of pride for EMU ever since he broke out on the field as one of the league’s top defensive disrupters in 2016. Crosby was an All-MAC player in the 2017 and 2018 seasons and finished his career with 162 total tackles (73 solo, 41 for loss, 20 sacks), 1 interception returned for a touchdown, four pass breakups, eight fumbles forced, and four fumble recoveries (one score). Crosby left EMU with one year of eligibility remaining to be drafted in the fourth round by the then-Oakland Raiders, Chris Crieghton’s favorite NFL team growing up.
Over his 5-year career in the NFL, Crosby was named a two-time Pro Bowler and was Second-Team All-Pro in 2021. Before the 2022 season, Crosby inked a near-$99M contract extension with the Raiders over four year, then went on to lead the league with 22 tackles for loss.
Crosby is originally from Rochester, Mich. and spent his middle and high school years down in Colleyville, Texas when he was being recruited by EMU, where he met his current wife, Rachel, who played soccer for the school.
“It’s the ultimate honor. I always talk about legacy, that’s something that’s the most important thing to me,” Crosby, 26, said in his comments to EMU. “Money, all the things that come with playing in the NFL are great, but I want to leave a legacy. Not only for myself but for my family — my daughter, my wife who also went to Eastern Michigan. For me, I wanted to give something back. This is going to be the beginning of something that I feel like is going to be even bigger and Eastern Michigan was the start of all of it for me. The only school that offered me and having my name on that field is something I’ll never forget, so it’s a big honor.
More of Crosby’s comments can be heard in EMU’s video below:
