When the Las Vegas Raiders signed Christian Wilkins to a five-year, $110 million deal last offseason, it was one of the splashiest free-agent moves in recent memory. With $84.75 million guaranteed, Wilkins became one of the highest-paid defenders in the NFL. Many felt it was money well spent by the Silver and Black. But fast forward 12 months, and that deal has completely unravelled.
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Wilkins, who joined the Raiders after a career-best nine-sack season with the Miami Dolphins, only played five games in 2024 before a Jones fracture in his left foot ended his season. He underwent surgery and was placed on injured reserve, but questions soon surfaced about his rehab process.
According to multiple reports, the Raiders believed that the player needed a second surgery, one he eventually declined. And it has ended up being one of the costliest decisions of Wilkins’ life.
On June 4, the team voided the remaining $35.2 million in guarantees in the DT’s contract, citing a “failure to maintain his physical condition to play.” The Raiders brass further doubled down, stating in a release that there was “no clear path or plan for future return to play,” and that the move was necessary “to move forward and prepare for a new season.”
Despite the rather drastic turn of events, Wilkins received close to $22 million of the guaranteed amount, effectively earning that sum for five games.
Following the decision by the Raiders, Wilkins had 50 days to challenge it. On July 25 — the final day to legally challenge the contract voiding — the NFLPA filed a grievance on Wilkins’ behalf. A hearing is now expected.
Amid the legal tension, an old gym video of Wilkins has resurfaced online, sparking a fresh round of debate. In the clip, the 29-year-old is seen dancing to the Backstreet Boys’ Everybody (Backstreet’s Back) inside the Raiders’ training facility.
Using a water bottle as a microphone, the former Dolphins DT is seen belting out the chorus while goofing around with a teammate. Unsurprisingly, NFL fans did not hold back while reacting to the video on “X.”
YIKES:
Christian Wilkins lost $37 million dollars due to not “rehabbing his foot properly”.Here he was just a few days ago dancing in the gym.
— Polymarket Football (@PolymarketBlitz) July 24, 2025
“Stupid game, stupid prizes,” wrote a fan. “I can see why they released him,” added another. The rest, meanwhile, joked about how the Raiders’ minority owner, Tom Brady, must have been frustrated seeing the video and hence took the call to void Wilkins’ contract.
“GM Tom Brady don’t play around,” wrote a fan. “Tom Brady saw this clip and made the call to release him,” chimed in another.
In a situation where Wilkins’ physical condition and the seriousness of his injury are central to a $35 million dispute, footage of him dancing, barefoot or otherwise, was always going to stir the pot. While it’s unclear when the video was recorded, its resurfacing couldn’t have come at a more inappropriate moment.
With the DT officially released and placed on the free agent market with a grievance pending, the incident adds a strange layer to what was already a messy split.
Whether the NFLPA’s grievance will change his financial fate remains to be seen. But one thing’s for sure: The video may end up being more than just a meme. It might become part of his case, too.
