For much of last NFL season, the Lions were the potential trade destination for Raiders star edge rusher Maxx Crosby.

After a disastrous season in which they lost nearly every defensive starter, trading for Crosby seemed almost like a reasonable move for a playoff push, even if it meant sacrificing future assets.

Of course, it never came to fruition, and Lions fans certainly don’t need a reminder of how the season ended.

However, with the Raiders still far from playoff contention—especially in the tough AFC West—the notion of Crosby joining Detroit lingered even after the season concluded.

Unfortunately, Pete Carroll shut down that possibility.

At his signature introductory press conference as the new Raiders head coach, Carroll put any remaining rumors to rest, emphasizing that Crosby would remain in the fold for the future.

“Maxx, send the message, man,” Carroll said. “We’re coming after you. We’ll get this thing going as soon as possible, with the highest expectations and a mentality to drive performance so everyone knows who we are.”

It was fun while it lasted, but maybe this is just a clever bluff to snag a couple more Day 2 picks in a potential Draft Night deal. However, this sounds more like a coach who plans to keep Crosby beyond 2025.

It would be strange to speak so directly to Crosby and then trade him soon after, though stranger things have happened, especially with the Raiders. But that still seems unlikely.

So for now, those dreams of pairing Crosby with Aiden Hutchinson will have to remain in your Madden franchise. But hey, don’t give up on making it happen—because that’s exactly what Pete Carroll wants.