How Jackson Powers-Johnson won Maxx Crosby’s respect after rocky start

Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby does not paint a rosy picture regarding his first interactions with offensive lineman Jackson Powers-Johnson.

“To be 100 percent real, like last year, me and Jackson did not have a great relationship,” Crosby said.

Crosby holds himself to a high standard and expects others to do the same. Powers-Johnson, a rookie last season, was not meeting that standard. It didn’t help that he was dealing with an undisclosed injury that knocked him out of offseason activities and most of training camp.

“I’m hard on guys, especially young dudes,” Crosby said. “There’s respect that’s got to be earned when you come into this league, in this locker room, especially. There’s a certain standard I expect from the guys.”

Fast-forward more than a year, and Powers-Johnson has earned Crosby’s respect and become one of his best friends. After spending considerable time together in the offseason, including countless early mornings working out at the Raiders’ practice facility, Powers-Johnson is now meeting Crosby’s standards.

“The amount of growth he’s had in the last year has been unbelievable,” Crosby said. “If I was sitting here a year ago, and you would have told me all the stuff he did this offseason to get himself in this position he’s in, I truly wouldn’t believe you. But that’s the beauty in this game. You have a choice every day if you want to get better or you want to get worse.”

Powers-Johnson, firmly established as the Raiders’ starting center this season, chose to get better. Along the way, he found humor in the long process of winning over one of the league’s best edge rushers.

“You’re not just going to meet a girl, and she’s going to love you right away. You’ve got to take her out a couple of times, open the door, meet her parents,” Powers-Johnson said Thursday after the team’s second training camp practice. “And then, you know, maybe she’ll love you. So, I just had to put in the work.”

Nothing is given

Powers-Johnson understood where Crosby was coming from, especially after missing so much time during offseason workouts and camp and spending the first two weeks of the regular season on the inactive list. Not being able to go through the rigors of camp was a missed opportunity to create a level of trust and respect.

“I came in not proven,” Powers-Johnson said. “So in his eyes … here’s a second-round pick who hasn’t really proved anything.”

After playing 21 snaps in Week 3, Powers-Johnson got his first start against the Cleveland Browns in Week 4. That began a string of 14 straight starts for Powers-Johnson, who initially played left guard before replacing an injured Andre James at center in Week 8 against the Kansas City Chiefs. Powers-Johnson started the next six games at center before finishing at left guard for the final three games.

Workout partners

Things took an even better turn during the offseason when Powers-Johnson and Crosby began forging a true working and personal relationship. Crosby’s offseason workout routine is the stuff of legends throughout the NFL, and not everyone is capable of keeping up.

Powers-Johnson was up to the challenge, taking advantage of every opportunity to work out with Crosby. He did catch a bit of a break early on, though, when Crosby was still recovering from ankle surgery.

“He definitely got off the hook a little bit because I was going through my injury, so I couldn’t really kill him fully,” said Crosby, smiling.

The healthier Crosby got, the harder the workouts became. By the time Powers-Johnson returned from a trip to Australia, it was full steam ahead.

“I got to really run him in the dirt,” Crosby said.

The harder Crosby pushed, the more Powers-Johnson responded. Before Crosby knew it, he had a new workout partner and an even better friend. Their usual spot was the Raiders’ practice facility, often long before the sun came up.

“Me and him are the first guys here every single day,” Crosby said.

It was further validation that Powers-Johnson was learning what it took to be an NFL player.

“He’s got all the talent in the world. He’s strong as a freaking ox,” Crosby said. “He’s a great dude, he’s a baller, but it’s about the details. And he’s come in this offseason with the mindset that he’s going to take that next step, and he’s done that.”

Powers-Johnson takes pride in winning over Crosby.

“It’s satisfying, but it’s more just I’m happy that I have the relationship I have with him,” Powers-Johnson said. “He’s one of my best friends now. I’m happy that I earned it, but I got so much out of it, too.”

Contact Vincent Bonsignore atvbonsignore@reviewjournal.com. Follow@VinnyBonsignore on X.