Adam Schefter and Mike Florio seem to be at odds over what really led to Christian Wilkins’ surprise release from the Raiders.
On the surface, the move was tied to a dispute over Wilkins’ foot injury. The Raiders reportedly wanted him to undergo another procedure, and when he pushed back, they moved to cut him and void the rest of his guaranteed money in the process. That’s more than $35 million they no longer want to pay.
But according to Josina Anderson of The Exhibit, there may be more to the story. A league source told her an “incident with a teammate” played a role, though the team hasn’t confirmed anything, and no complaint has surfaced publicly. The only detail Anderson’s source offered was that Wilkins was “playing around.”
That’s vague. And intentionally so. Without specifics, there’s no way to know if this was something serious or just a convenient excuse. What we do know is that the Raiders are now facing a massive dead money charge unless they can successfully argue Wilkins voided his guarantees. And whether it’s about the foot or this mystery “incident,” they’re looking for any path to get out from under that cap hit.
“While the specifics have yet to leak, there’s definitely something dangling,” The Pro Football Talk owner and operator wrote. “In the media ecosystem, some junk that has been making the rounds. Something that has yet to be properly fleshed out for reliable reporting.”
Adam Schefter tried to flesh it out Monday on The Pat McAfee Show. According to ESPN’s lead NFL insider, the story going around is that Christian Wilkins playfully tried to kiss a teammate on the top of the head, and that teammate didn’t take it well. Schefter suggested that’s the incident everyone’s been tiptoeing around.
“From speaking to people inside the Raiders locker room…
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 (@PatMcAfeeShow) July 28, 2025
Florio, for what it’s worth, said that’s not the unverifiable rumor he’s heard circulating.
That is definitely NOT the story that has been making the rounds. https://t.co/22nK6PRGbT
— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) July 28, 2025
Florio and Schefter aren’t exactly singing from the same sheet here. Florio warned a few days ago that the rumor mill is swirling with “junk” that hasn’t been properly verified. Meanwhile, Schefter shared a specific story about Wilkins trying to kiss a teammate on the head, and that teammate taking offense.
Neither version has been confirmed, and Florio even said Schefter’s story isn’t the rumor he’s heard. So, what really happened? It’s still unclear.
At this point, you’d think the Raiders don’t seem to mind the confusion. Keeping things murky works in their favor as they try to avoid a huge dead money hit. Until more details come out, the real reasons behind Wilkins’ release remain a mystery.
About Sam Neumann
Since the beginning of 2023, Sam has been a staff writer for Awful Announcing and The Comeback. A 2021 graduate of Temple University, Sam is a Charlotte native, who currently calls Greenville, South Carolina his home. He also has a love/hate relationship with the New York Mets and Jets.