The Las Vegas Raiders did not just make a roster move on July 24, 2025 – they triggered one of the strangest and most talked-about storylines of the year. A huge-money deal collapsed overnight. A locker room incident went public. And suddenly, the conversation was no longer just about football.
Now, months later, a former teammate has added a new layer to the story. Instead of feeding into the chaos, Adam Butler took a different route – one that shifts the spotlight from headlines to something deeper and, honestly, which is more real.
Adam Butler’s “Get Help” Message Raises Eyebrows After Christian Wilkins Drama
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Dec 8, 2024; Tampa, Florida, USA; Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby (98) and defensive tackle Adam Butler (69) reacts after a play against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the second quarter at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
Speaking on July 29, 2025, as reported by outlets covering the Raiders situation, Butler addressed questions surrounding Christian Wilkins’ shocking release. However, instead of dissecting the now-infamous locker room moment, he delivered a message that felt bigger than the situation itself.
“If you’re going through something, talk to someone, get some help, and consider therapy.”
Wild: Raiders DT Adam Butler gave a shocking response when asked about Christian Wilkins getting cut for attempting to kiss a teammate.
"If you're going through something, talk to someone, get some help, and CONSIDER THERAPY."
😳😳😳pic.twitter.com/t8R1DmnUKf https://t.co/5phYnM6mwC
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) March 20, 2026
That line landed hard. Not because it was aggressive, however, but because it felt pointed. Butler did not name Wilkins directly; however, the timing made the connection obvious.
And here is the context. On July 24, 2025, the Raiders cut Wilkins just one year into a four-year, $110M deal. According to reports, the franchise voided roughly $35M in guaranteed money. The reasons are a messy mix of injury disputes and off-field concerns.
Wilkins had been limited to five games in 2024 after suffering a Jones fracture. Team officials reportedly questioned how he handled rehab, which alone created tension. However, then came the locker room incident, widely reported as Wilkins kissing a teammate on the head during a meeting. What some saw as playful did not land that way internally. Discomfort grew. The situation escalated fast.
That’s where Butler’s comments start to hit differently.(via Times of India)
“Whatever you’re going through… don’t make any hasty decisions. Somebody out there is willing to listen.”
This was not your typical “next man up” locker room quote. It sounded more like concern than criticism. A subtle signal that the situation may have been less about one isolated moment, and more about a player possibly dealing with something behind the scenes.
Reports following the release suggested the incident was not entirely isolated. Some insiders indicated teammates felt boundaries were crossed. That perception, combined with injury uncertainty, made teams uncertain. As of March 2026, Wilkins remains unsigned and is pursuing an injustice through the NFLPA over lost guarantees.
And that is what keeps this story alive. It is not just about an unexpected headline. It is about how quickly things can unravel in the league and how rarely those situations get framed through a mental health lens.
The 31-year-old did not pour fuel on the fire. He redirected it. In a league built on toughness, his message stood out for a different reason – it acknowledged that sometimes, what’s happening off the field matters way more than what shows up on it.