Tyrell Crosby Challenges Notion Detroit Lions Care about Players
Fair to say, Tyrell Crosby and the Detroit Lions didn't end their relationship on the best of terms.
The swing tackle, who was a member of the Lions from 2018-21, served as Detroit's primary right tackle in 2020 after Halapoulivaati Vaitai suffered a broken foot in the preseason. And, Crosby received largely positive reviews for his play.
However, the Oregon product fell out of favor with the organization a year later, with the arrival of Dan Campbell and Brad Holmes to the Motor City.
He sat out voluntary workouts throughout the spring of 2021, and then suffered a mild hamstring in the second week of training camp that sidelined him for most of the subsequent preseason.
As he told the Detroit Free Press earlier this week, the above didn't help out his standing with Campbell & Co., and it led to the beginning of a fractured relationship between him and the new regime.
Then, came concerns of a back ailment for the offensive lineman, which Crosby said the Lions didn't take seriously.
It culminated in the 2018 fifth-round draft pick being waived by Detroit before the start of the 2021 regular season.
"It really sucks for me, just cause you’ve been around that fanbase,” Crosby expressed to the Free Press. “They are so passionate, just every year, the Lions are going to win the Super Bowl. I love that fanbase so much, and that’s what kind of sucks about it and just now having a lot of people kind of tweet at me, ‘Hey, wish you were back,’ and things like that. And, I’m just like, ‘If only you guys knew,’ cause I wouldn’t want to play for that organization, just knowing what I know now and just how poorly they treat their players. That’s what kind of sucks, just because I’ve met so many wonderful people online who are Lions fans who have just been so supportive."
Then, to make matters worse for Crosby, he took part in a failed rehab program to rid himself of the dehabilitating back pain. And, it forced him to undergo back surgery in mid-December, a procedure that he's still recovering from nearly eight months later.
Crosby's assertions challenge the notion that the Lions' culture has truly changed.
Over the past several years, players, like Crosby, have started to voice their concerns regarding the treatment they've received from NFL franchises.
Through work with the union, their situation has improved, but it appears there is still work to be done when it comes to player health and safety.
