Christian Wilkins Was Once Fined by the NFL for Grabbing Josh Allen’s Crotch During a Game

When it rains, it pours… Or so it seems to be the predicament of Christian Wilkins at the moment. Released by the Las Vegas Raiders after a public dispute over his foot rehab and the voiding of $35.2 million in guaranteed money, the defensive tackle now finds himself embroiled in a different kind of drama.

Some reports have surfaced alleging that Wilkins got the boot due to bad behavior with a Raiders teammate. That has led to an avalanche of his controversial history on social media, with many revisiting those moments. Most notably, the 2022 incident with Josh Allen.

We’re talking about the incident from the 29-year-old’s Miami Dolphins days involving the Buffalo Bills quarterback. During a divisional game in September 2022, Wilkins was accused of grabbing Allen in the groin during a second-half pile-up.

The incident sparked an on-field reaction as the usually composed Allen got furious, ripped off Wilkins’ helmet, and was penalized. That set Buffalo back during a crucial fourth-quarter drive, and the Dolphins went on to win the game 21-19.

Allen later addressed the situation on Kyle Brandt’s Basement podcast, expressing regret about how he handled it. “I should know [better] and shouldn’t let [moments like these] get the best of me,” he said. “But sometimes you see red, and things like that happen.”

However, the reigning NFL MVP didn’t explicitly accuse Wilkins back then. But the implication was enough. Wilkins, on his part, denied any wrongdoing. “I don’t necessarily agree with what’s being accused of me and how things went down,” he told The Palm Beach Post, choosing not to elaborate.

Still, despite not admitting to wrongdoing, the NFL fined Wilkins $13,261 for the alleged act. He immediately confirmed his intent to appeal the fine, but no reversal was ever reported. This, however, wasn’t Wilkins’ first brush with controversy over questionable behavior on the field.

In 2016, during the Fiesta Bowl, the Clemson DL was caught on camera “groping” Ohio State wide receiver Curtis Samuel after a tackle. Back then, Wilkins acknowledged his actions and issued a public apology. “I understand it’s not a good look for me or the program,” he had said.

Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney even vouched for his character, chalking it up to Wilkins’ “goofy” nature and saying the incident wouldn’t happen again. But as we all know, it did.

Wilkins now sits at a career crossroads, out of a job, locked in a contract grievance with the Raiders, and facing long-term health questions. And getting haunted by these past incidents wouldn’t be a pleasant feeling.

Even more so, because what once could be shrugged off as on-field antics now contributes to a narrative that’s harder to ignore. And lastly, making headlines for groin grabs, not sacks, is a below-the-belt indictment on one’s image, pun intended or not.