Last week's story surrounding the Las Vegas Raiders' release of defensive tackle Christian Wilkins just got an unexpected new wrinkle.
The Raiders voided the remaining $35.2 million guaranteed on Wilkins's contract, abruptly releasing him one year into his four-year deal that he signed with the team last offseason. ESPN's Adam Schefter reported at the time that the Raiders chose to part ways with Wilkins due to how he handled his rehab from a serious foot injury last year.
While that fact still holds true, Schefter recently revealed an interaction between Wilkins and one of his Raiders teammates that may have further ostracized Wilkins from the organization.
"Speaking to people inside the locker room, I think what everybody’s dancing around and tiptoeing around is the fact that, when you speak to people there inside the locker room, they say that Christian playfully went to kiss a teammate on top of his head," Schefter said on The Pat McAfee Show on Monday. "Those same people said that the player took offense to it.
"So, that’s what everybody’s been dancing around and tap dancing around—an incident in the locker room where he allegedly, playfully kissed a teammate on top of his head. That teammate felt offended by it. That’s what a lot of this talk and speculation that people have just been floating around out there is about."
"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
Pat McAfee went on to deliver his takeaways from Schefter's report: "That tells me a lot of things... If that happens in the locker room, and then they go and report it [to HR], that means the locker room probably didn't f--- with him."
In any case, Schefter made clear that the awkward incident didn't directly lead to the Raiders voiding his contract.
In the wake of his release, Wilkins filed a grievance against the Raiders through the NFL Players Association and could be headed toward a tense legal battle. In the meantime, Wilkins is reportedly taking visits and undergoing physicals with potential suitors ahead of the upcoming season.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Adam Schefter Shares Awkward ‘Kiss’ Incident Between Christian Wilkins, Raiders Teammate.
