HENDERSON, Nev. — Las Vegas Raiders coach Pete Carroll declined to comment Tuesday when asked whether an alleged incident involving Christian Wilkins kissing a teammate on the head played a part in the defensive tackle’s shocking release last week.
“I have no comment to make,” Carroll said Tuesday. “We made a decision on what we’re doing, and we’re moving with it. We’ll see how that all unveils itself in time.”
The incident involving Wilkins and a teammate happened in a meeting room at team headquarters last week, according to team and league sources. The teammate didn’t consent to the kiss and made a complaint that was investigated by the team’s human resources department, according to those sources. ESPN’s Adam Schefter was the first to report the incident Monday.
The Raiders initially seemed to suggest that their decision to move on from Wilkins stemmed from a dispute over how the 29-year-old handled his recovery from the Jones fracture he suffered in his left foot, which required season-ending surgery last October. The two sides couldn’t agree on how to handle his rehab process this offseason, which is why the Raiders voided the remaining guarantees in Wilkins’ contract on June 4, according to team and league sources.
Wilkins, through the NFLPA, officially filed a grievance last Thursday over the Raiders voiding the guarantees in his contract, according to a league source. Still, Wilkins wasn’t released until seven weeks after his guarantees were voided. On July 18, he was placed on the physically unable to perform list. Just six days later, he was let go. The incident adds more context to the timing.
Defensive tackle Adam Butler was also asked Tuesday about the Wilkins situation.
“We pretty just kind of moved on from the situation,” Butler said Tuesday. “I really don’t want to comment further on it, but I will say that, whatever you’re going through as a person, athlete, non-athlete, whoever, whatever your struggle is, if you’ve got something going on in life, just talk to somebody. Get some therapy. Whatever your deal is, is your deal. Somebody out there in this world full of billions of people is willing to listen. They’re willing to listen, hear you out and help work through whatever you need to work through, but don’t make any hasty decisions. Get help.”
“If you’re going through something, talk to someone, get some help, and consider therapy.”
Raiders DT Adam Butler on the Christian Wilkins situation:
🎥: @MikeDixon_VST #RaiderNation | #Raiders pic.twitter.com/v6Rj8aZmn5
— Vegas Sports Today (@VegasSportsTD) July 29, 2025
Wilkins had played just five games last season before getting hurt. The typical timeline for recovery from a Jones fracture is three to four months, but the Raiders determined earlier this offseason that he would need a second procedure to fully heal, according to team and league sources. Wilkins disagreed, according to those same sources, which sparked a months-long back-and-forth over how he should rehab the injury.
After releasing him, the Raiders released a statement.
“We have decided that it is in the best interest of the organization to move on from Christian Wilkins and he has been informed of his release from the team,” it read. “This franchise has a Commitment to Excellence on and off the field. With no clear path or plan for future return to play from Christian, this transaction is necessary for the entire organization to move forward and prepare for the new season.”
The Raiders signed Wilkins to a four-year, $110 million contract in March of 2024. The acquisition will join the lengthy list of big free-agent signings and trades that have ended poorly for the franchise.
— Reporters Dianna Russini and Michael Silver contributed to this report.
(Photo: Tommy Gilligan / Imagn Images)