NFL

Vikings Send Help to NFL's Everson Griffen's Home After Alarming Social Media Posts

The defensive end has experienced mental health struggles in the past, and posted disturbing videos on social media overnight

USA TODAY Sports

Minnesota Vikings representatives and mental health officials went to Everson Griffen’s home on Wednesday following a mental health incident in his home late Tuesday night.

Griffen posted a video to his Instagram Tuesday night with a gun saying that people were trying to kill him in his home. Griffen stated that he bought the gun and bullets legally and that teammate Dalvin Cook helped him purchase the gun. While the post has been deleted, it has been shared on YouTube. NBC is not embedding the video of someone experiencing a mental health crisis.

On Wednesday morning, Griffen posted screenshots of text messages with his agent, Brian Murphy, asking for help and telling Murphy to call 911.

After initially refusing, Griffen came out of his home without incident, the team said in a statement Wednesday afternoon.

Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer said he addressed the team about Griffen’s situation on Wednesday.

Griffen previously spent four weeks in mental health treatment in 2018 after two incidents prompted police involvement (h/t Star Tribune). During those incidents, Griffen threatened violence in Minneapolis and made comments about people trying to kill him.

The defensive end spent his first 10 NFL seasons with the Vikings from 2010 to 2019. He split time with the Dallas Cowboys and Detroit Lions in 2020 before reuniting with the Vikings in August.

“It seems like he's in a good place,” Zimmer said on Aug. 23. “Hopefully he can continue to do that, and if he does he can help us.”

Griffen has five sacks and 15 tackles in nine games with the Vikings so far this season. He started the team’s Week 11 win over the Green Bay Packers and played 48 snaps.
Next up for the Vikings is a matchup with the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday.

Contact Us