Vikings defensive end Everson Griffen issued an apology statement on Thursday days after being hospitalized for several concerning events.
An incident that transpired Saturday caused team leadership to feel worried about his mental health and overall well-being.
Griffen posted a message on Instagram apologizing to “everyone who was impacted” and that he is “focused on resolving personal issues.” According to a police report from the Minnetrista Police Department, Vikings’ executive director of player development Les Pico told police that Griffen “has been struggling for the past few weeks” and also “has been explosive, screaming and yelling” at practice. The team banned the DE from practice and asked him to seek mental health treatment.
Instagram post by Everson Griffen * Sep 27, 2018 at 11:19pm UTC
19.9k Likes, 2,577 Comments – Everson Griffen (@eversongriffen) on Instagram
On Saturday, Griffen was also involved in an incident at Hotel Ivy in downtown Minneapolis where he allegedly threatened to shoot someone if he was not allowed into his room. Another worrisome incident involved him showing up to the home of Vikings cornerback Trae Waynes’ and he allegedly attempted to enter, according to the police report.
When police asked Griffen why he went to Waynes’ home, he told them that “God made (him) do it.”
So far there is no timeline for when he will return to the team. Hopefully, he resolves any and all personal and mental health matters. This incident shows there needs to be a bigger discussion surrounding mental health in the NFL.
