Don’t ever let anyone tell you that nobody cares about the NFL preseason. At least one person does, and that is former 49ers first-round pick Michael Crabtree.
Crabtree got off to a rocky start with the 49ers when he had trouble negotiating his rookie contract. Then when he left the club after six seasons to join the Raiders he made his displeasure with San Francisco known.
“I needed new scenery. It wasn’t for me,” Crabtree said in 2015 via Niners Nation. “I needed a quarterback that can deliver the ball, and that was hungry like I was.”
Crabtree apparently continues to hold a grudge against the 49ers. He tweeted his support for the Raiders after their 34-7 win over San Francisco in Sunday’s preseason opener:
— Michael Crabtree (@KingCrab15) August 14, 2023
Crabtree spent three years with the then-Oakland Raiders and caught 232 balls for 2,543 yards and 25 TDs. He played in one playoff game, a loss, where he caught two passes for 33 yards.
With San Francisco in six seasons he had 347 receptions for 4,327 yards and 26 TDs in the regular season. In three playoff trips he played in eight games and posted 40 catches, 516 yards and four touchdowns.
Given the much lower stakes he played with in Oakland it makes sense that he’s more fond of them than San Francisco.
