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The Raiders stunned the NFL landscape last week by cutting ties with defensive tackle Christian Wilkins just one year into his massive four-year, $110 million deal. Initial reports pointed to a medical disagreement – the team wanted Wilkins to get a second foot surgery, while he preferred to rehab without going under the knife again.
But there’s more to the story.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter dropped a bombshell during Monday’s appearance on The Pat McAfee Show, revealing a locker room incident that contributed to the surprising release. According to Schefter, Wilkins “playfully went to kiss a teammate on top of his head” – a gesture that apparently didn’t go over well with the recipient.
"From speaking to people inside the Raiders locker room…
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) July 28, 2025
They say that Christian Wilkins playfully went to kiss a teammate on the top of his head..
They say that player took offense to it and that's what everybody has been dancing around"@AdamSchefter #PMSLive https://t.co/das6W3HesB pic.twitter.com/MGfjATaiNh
Schefter provided additional context, noting that the incident happened during a team meeting last week – not on the practice field or in the locker room as many had speculated.
“Last week’s incident happened inside a team meeting room. One source told ESPN that the interaction was “playful,” but the teammate didn’t see it that way. It’s not known what the fellow player did following the incident,” writes ESPN’s newsroom.
Things escalated quickly after that uncomfortable moment.
“A complaint was filed to Raiders’ human resources department, which investigated the incident, a source told Schefter.”
The Final Straw: How a Kiss and a Foot Created the Perfect Storm
The locker room incident wasn’t the sole reason for Wilkins’ surprising release – it’s more complicated than that. His foot injury situation had already created tension between the player and organization before this personal boundary issue arose.
Wilkins suffered a Jones fracture in his foot last October, and the disagreement over treatment has been brewing for months. The Raiders medical staff pushed for a second surgical procedure to fix the issue, but Wilkins opted to rehab on his own terms – a decision that didn’t sit well with team management. This medical standoff gave the Raiders justification to void the remaining $35.2 million in guaranteed money from his contract when they cut him loose.
Wilkins and the NFLPA have already filed a grievance challenging the voiding of those guarantees – setting up what could be a messy legal battle in the coming months.
The timing couldn’t be worse for the 29-year-old defensive tackle. With training camps in full swing, he’s now a free agent who can sign anywhere – but his market value has taken a double hit due to both his unresolved foot injury and the potential baggage from this locker room incident.
So there you have it. What started as a massive free agent splash for the Raiders in 2024 has ended in controversy just one year later – a $110 million investment terminated over a medical disagreement and an unwanted kiss.
