Getty Josh Allen calls a play during a game against the Miami Dolphins.
Days after Christian Wilkins was accused of a dirty hit on Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen, the NFL has handed down punishment to the Miami Dolphins defensive end.
Wilkins got into a scrap with Allen in the fourth quarter of last week’s game, with Allen pushing Wilkins’ helmet off after the two tangled at the bottom of a pileup following a run from the Bills quarterback. Allen was hit with a 15-yard penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct, but after the game said he was reacting after Wilking grabbed him in a sensitive area.
On Saturday, the NFL seemed to back up Allen’s claim and issued a fine to the Dolphins defender.
NFL Fines Wilkins for Hit on Allen
On Saturday, the NFL issued a $13,261 fine to Wilkins for the incident in Sunday’s game. As the Buffalo News reported, the fine amount was established by the NFL and the NFL Players Association and came after Allen had accused Wilking of grabbing him in the groin during the play.
Speaking to Kyle Brandt on his weekly podcast, Allen took the blame for losing his cool and said he apologized to his teammates for taking a penalty.
I think that Christian Wilkins football character pretty much epitomizes most #Finsup fans lol
“I think anybody with two eyes can understand what was going on under that pile,” Allen said. “I let the emotions get the best of me, but there were some things happening down there that I didn’t appreciate. We’ll let everyone make their own judgments on that. I apologized to my team for putting us in a tough situation, but it is what it is and we’ll move on. I know I’ll probably get a fine for that, but I hope they’ll look at some other things too.”
Allen was not fined for his actions toward Wilkins on Sunday, but the penalty came at a costly time for the Bills as they looked to mount a comeback down 21-17. The Dolphins ultimately prevailed, moving to 3-0 and taking over sole possession of the AFC East crown.
Allen had mixed up with Wilkins in the past, the Buffalo News noted, with the Bills quarterback waving goodbye near the end of Buffalo’s win over Miami in Orchard Park last season.
Allen Called out Dolphins Defender
While he expressed regret for taking the costly penalty, Allen wasn’t shy about airing his grievances with Wilkins during the week. After the game, Wilkins had brushed off the incident by saying the two were just hyper competitive.
1-on-1 with #Dolphins DT Christian Wilkins after the game on the defensive juice they had the whole game & on what in the world happened between he and Josh Allen. Clue: Wilkins can’t confirm or deny. 😂
“It just happens. Josh is a competitor, I’m a competitor,” he said. “The game is on the line. We’re going back and forth. That’s just how it is. That’s how it is with division rivals. With alpha males, that’s how it goes.”
But Allen didn’t hold back later in the week when Brandt asked, “Do alpha males grab each other by the groin on the football field?” The Bills quarterback noted that Wilkins had been accused of grabbing opponents before, during his college playing days.