Grieving Crosby Rejoins Team

Brittany Crosby, the wife of Crosby’s brother, Rees, died on Friday.

GREEN BAY, Wis. – After the death of his sister-in-law on Friday morning, Mason Crosby flew from Green Bay to Texas on Friday to be with his family, to New Jersey on Saturday for Sunday’s game against the Giants and back to Texas after the game.

On Wednesday, it was business as usual – as much as possible, anyway – as the Green Bay Packers’ kicker rejoined his teammates for practice.

“I feel a responsibility to be here with these guys and the work that we’ve put in and the family that we are, as well,” Crosby said. “Just to be able to come back, get a few solid days in, then I’ll head down to Texas on Friday for the funeral and be there with my family there. I’m just trying to do everything I can to be the best teammate and the best brother I can.”

Brittany Crosby, the wife of Crosby’s brother, Rees, died on Friday morning after a three-year battle with ovarian cancer. Crosby, whose wife had her own cancer scare just before training camp, earned the game ball after making a 47-yard field goal and all four extra-point attempts in a 31-13 victory over the Giants.

Skipping the game to spend more time with his family was considered but wasn’t really an option.

“I don’t know if my brother or Brittany would have wanted that,” Crosby said. “Brittany lived life to the fullest and she went on every adventure and did everything she could and lived every day on purpose. So, I did my best to try and represent this team and be a good team member, but be a good family member first.”

After returning home to Georgetown, Texas, for the funeral, Crosby said he’d return to Green Bay on either Friday night or Saturday so he’ll be ready for Sunday’s home game against Washington.

“The routine and being around these guys and being able to come into work and have that consistency there gives a little reprieve from it,” said Crosby, who is fourth in the league with a 93.3 percent success rate on field goals this season. “But I come in here and I check on my brother and make sure that he’s doing all right, because his world is turned upside down and he doesn’t have a reprieve right now. So, I’m trying to be there for him as much as possible.”