Pro Bowl pass rusher Maxx Crosby has become the latest professional athlete to take a side gig as a front-office executive with a college athletic program, becoming the assistant general manager for the Eastern Michigan football team.
The school announced this week that Crosby, who signed a record-breaking three-year extension worth $106.5 million with the Raiders last month, would help evaluate high school and transfer portal prospects, manage the team’s NIL and revenue-sharing budget, and assist the athletic director with fundraising, alumni relations and student-athlete support.
“There is no place more important to my personal and athletic development than Eastern Michigan,” said Crosby, who, along with his wife, Rachel, donated $1 million to the Eagles’ football program two years ago.
Crosby is just the latest active professional athlete to take an administrative role with a college. Hawks guard Trae Young is working with the basketball program at Oklahoma, Warriors star Stephen Curry has accepted an assistant GM role at Davidson, and Hawks guard Terance Mann has been hired by new Florida State basketball coach Luke Louck in a similar capacity.
Crosby starred for Eastern Michigan from 2015-18 before becoming a fourth-round pick of the Raiders in the 2019 draft. He has 59 1/2 sacks over his first six NFL seasons, and each of the past four have ended with a trip to the Pro Bowl.
His recent contract extension with the Raiders had briefly made him the NFL’s highest-paid non-quarterback.
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Crosby already has announced a fundraising challenge in which he will match all donations to the Eastern Michigan program up to $100,000 by the end of May. The school plans to rename the weakside defensive end position on its depth chart from “LEO” to “MAXX,” and its top edge rusher will wear his No. 92 jersey as a tribute to his impact on the program.
“It’s always special when former players return to be part of our staff, and this is truly a full-circle moment,” Eastern Michigan coach Chris Creighton said. “There’s something powerful about staying in one place and building something meaningful over time. Maxx is a shining example. He has already positively impacted our program, and now we’re taking it to another level.”
Reporting by The Associated Press.
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