Vikings, Police Responding to Incident at Everson Griffen's Home
The Minnesota Vikings and Minnetrista Police are responding to a situation at the home of Vikings defensive end Everson Griffen, one that began in the early morning hours and is still ongoing.
Update: per reports, the situation has been resolved peacefully. Original story continues below.
At around 3 a.m. on Wednesday morning, Griffen posted several concerning things on his Instagram, saying people were trying to kill him. He posted — and later deleted — multiple screenshots of text conversations with his agent Brian Murphy, asking for help.
Griffen also posted a video of himself holding a gun that he says Dalvin Cook helped him purchase. In the 30-second video, he says people tried to kill him and explains that the gun is registered to him.
According to the Minnetrista Public Safety news release, Griffen called 911 from his residence shortly after 3, saying someone was inside his home and that he needed help. He also told the dispatcher that he fired his weapon but no one was hurt. Police responded to the call but didn't find any intruder.
Since around 7 a.m., law enforcement officers and psychologists from the Vikings have been on the scene and in communication with Griffen, per the release. He is refusing to come out of his house, and the police are confident he is alone inside.
This is an ongoing situation.
The Vikings released the following statement:
"Vikings representatives and the team’s mental health professionals have been on-site at Everson Griffen’s home since early this morning and are cooperating with law enforcement. Our only concern at this time is the safety and well-being of Everson and his family. We will have further comment at the appropriate time."
Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer, speaking to reporters later Wednesday morning, said he became aware of the situation early in the morning and doesn't know if Griffen is safe or not. Zimmer said he addressed the team and echoed the sentiment in the Vikings' statement — that their only concern is Griffen's well-being.
Two of Griffen's teammates — Dalvin Cook and Sheldon Richardson — told reporters that Griffen is not answering his phone or responding to texts. Cook said he didn't know why Griffen mentioned him in the video and that he did not purchase a gun for him.
Griffen has had struggles with his mental health in the past. Back in 2018, there were multiple incidents, including one where he showed up shirtless and uninvited to then-teammate Trae Waynes' house, and another where he escaped from an ambulance. During at least one 2018 incident, Griffen was convinced people were trying to kill him. He eventually was checked into a hospital for treatment, where doctors found upon extensive evaluation that his behavior "resulted from significant unresolved emotional distress, emotional incongruence and a lack of healthy coping skills."
Griffen missed five games that season and spent the final months of the season living in a sober house as part of his recovery. The 33-year-old Griffen later called the events of that year a "big eye-opener on the things that needed to be resolved in my life," and worked to turn his life around for his wife and three children.
Just a little over a week ago, Griffen said in an Instagram caption that he was in the best mental headspace of his life.
The Vikings drafted Griffen back in 2010. After spending a decade with the team, he had stints with the Lions and Cowboys last year. The Vikings brought him back this season and he has been their top defensive end since Danielle Hunter got injured, recording five sacks in nine games.
This story will be updated as the situation develops.
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