ESPN: Playful kiss led to Raiders releasing Christian Wilkins

ESPN reported Monday that a playful kiss to the head of a teammate led to the release of defensive tackle Christian Wilkins last week by the Las Vegas Raiders.

The teammate, who went unnamed, took offense to Wilkins' action, ESPN's Adam Schefter said Monday on "The Pat McAfee Show."

"When you speak to people there, inside the locker room, they say Christian playfully went to kiss a teammate on top of his head, and those same people said that player took offense to it," Schefter said on McAfee's show. "So that's what everybody's been dancing around."

The Raiders released Wilkins last week after one season. The Raiders, who had signed Wilkins in March 2024 to a four-year, $110 million contract with $84.75 million guaranteed, had placed him on the physically unable to perform list before the start of training camp.

Wilkins, 29, had been working his way back from a season-ending Jones fracture to his left foot, sustained in the Raiders' 34-18 loss to the Denver Broncos on Oct. 6. Wilkins did not participate in drills during OTAs in May nor in mandatory minicamp, according to media reports.

ESPN reported that the Raiders have voided the remaining $35.2 million of guaranteed money and that Wilkins filed a grievance with the NFLPA on Thursday.

Wilkins recorded 17 tackles and two sacks in five games (all starts) before having season-ending surgery.

He has totaled 372 tackles, 22.5 sacks, one interception, four forced fumbles and six fumble recoveries in 86 career regular-season games (82 starts) with the Miami Dolphins and Raiders. He was selected by the Dolphins with the 13th overall pick of the 2019 NFL Draft out of Clemson.

--Field Level Media