Twenty years ago, the Dolphins wanted to sign Drew Brees in free agency. Miami’s doctor decided that Brees, who had offseason shoulder surgery, couldn’t pass a physical.
Dolphins coach Nick Saban later complained about the faculties of the physician that failed Brees on the physical: “That doctor didn’t know his ass from a handful of sand.”
On Tuesday, the Ravens’ decision not to proceed with the Maxx Crosby trade was based on input from multiple physicians.
Said Adam Schefter of ESPN last night: “My understanding is there were multiple doctors that reviewed his MRI scans. There were doctors that examined him — including Dr. Daniel Cooper, the Dallas Cowboys’ doctor, that performed surgery on Patrick Mahomes and Malik Nabors. Many teams, and players rely on Dr. Cooper’s expertise, and Dr. Cooper was one of the doctors that reviewed the images, where the Raiders then felt compelled to back out of this trade.”
Dr. Cooper, who can be seen wearing a cowboy hat on the sidelines at Cowboys games, has essentially become this generation’s Dr. James Andrews — the go-to physician for knee injuries. (Dr. Neal ElAttrache, who performed Crosby’s surgery, would dispute that.)
Dr. Cooper, whose involvement helps explain the Cowboys not re-engaging on trade talks, clearly knows his ass from a handful of sand. So this wasn’t a situation where a doctor went rogue — or where a doctor received a wink-nod because the Ravens were looking for a way out.
It’s still a complicated situation. Obviously, Crosby wouldn’t pass a physical based on whether he can practice or play today. The medical judgment entails a projection as to whether he’ll pass in the future.
That alone should have been a bright red flag regarding trade terms that were contingent on Crosby passing a physical. For the Ravens — who have never given up a first-round pick for a player — to give up the 14th overall pick in the 2026 draft and next year’s first-round selection, they need to be sure that they’ll get a return on the investment. Especially if Crosby and/or his agents expected a contract adjustment on the way through the door.
None of this means Crosby won’t be healthy by Week 1. He could be. And the situation in Baltimore could motivate him to have 20 sacks in 2026.
Regardless, the Ravens opted to be careful. They, per Schefter, sought multiple opinions. And they didn’t really “back out” of anything. They exercised their prerogative based on the medical judgments to not proceed with the transaction.
