Maxx Crosby, Raiders' D-Line Have Utmost Respect for Coach Rob Leonard

Las Vegas Raiders defensive line coach Rob Leonard is entering his second season with the team.

Las Vegas Raiders DL Coach Rob Leonard from Mandatory Mini-Cam / Noah Scott Fahey, Sports Illustrated

Las Vegas Raiders defensive line coach Rob Leonard has the weighted task of leading one of the league's top defensive line units going into the 2024 season.

With his 11 years of NFL coaching experience, though, Leonard knows what approach to take when leading his men.

For that, he has gained the respect of his room.

"Yeah, Robbie's [Rob Leonard] has been incredible," Raiders All-Pro defensive end Maxx Crosby told reporters last week. "He challenges us every day, he doesn't coach anybody -- he coaches people different, but he doesn't shy away from coaching. You know what I mean? That's what I think is most important. Nowadays there's a lot of guys that feel like they are too big to be coached and things like that, and my it's my way or no way. Rob is a guy that can relate to us, he played division one football, he's been around a lot of great players, and people have his respect in our room.

"So, it's a collaborative group, he walks in there, and we have, I mean, we have the biggest D-line group I think we've ever had. We have like 18 guys with some ridiculous, got like four coaches now in there. It feels like everybody wants to be in the D-line room at all times. So, it's a special group, and it starts with him. And I think he's done an incredible job, and he just pushes us in every single way. He knows what everybody wants, and you got to have real relationships with the players to be able to talk to him a certain way and I think that's what he does a great job of doing.

"Yeah, for instance, when he first got hired, he took the time to get in a Zoom call. It was me, him and Rob Marinelli, and like, usually a coach, coaches don't do stuff like that. It's like no, this is my way, he got in the meeting with him, and we chopped it up for an hour and we talked football. And I thought that was super cool just because it shows like, even as a coach, he's still constantly learning and that's why me and Robbie have a real relationship. It's not like just coach type stuff, it's real life and that's what I feel like, why guys respect him so much."

Leonard is one of the Raiders' few returning defensive coaches, as he enters his second year on staff.

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