After being away from the Minnesota Vikings for over a month as he addressed his mental health, Everson Griffen returned this week and will participate in practice Wednesday for the first time since Sept. 14, according to head coach Mike Zimmer.
“He came in some yesterday,” Zimmer said, “and was in good spirits.”
Griffen was involved in a pair of incidents on Sept. 22 that preceded his hiatus from the team. He reportedly threatened to shoot someone at Hotel Ivy if he wasn’t let in his room, but no gun was ever seen. Later that day, he reportedly rode shirtless in a stranger’s vehicle, trespassed on teammate Trae Waynes’ property (a report Waynes has denied) and jumped out of an ambulance after being taken by police.
In a statement released by the Vikings, Griffen said his return to football is merely one step in the recovery process.
“My larger focus remains on addressing my personal health, and I’m hopeful the time will come when I feel comfortable sharing my story and using my platform to bring awareness to these issues,” the statement read.
Zimmer said that Griffen would be eased in over the next three days, and his status for Sunday’s game would be determined at week’s end. Griffen’s last appearance in a game came on Sept. 16 in Green Bay.
“We’ve been in contact with the doctor constantly,” said Zimmer, “talking to him about the things he’s done and accomplished when he’s been there and things he’s got to do in the future and all that.”
Griffen’s absence has spurred a larger conversation about mental health treatment in sports. Prior to Griffen’s incident, players across different leagues had begun speaking out about their own struggles in an attempt to destigmatize the issue.
As Zimmer said Wednesday, Griffen’s struggle is not as rare as some might think.
“Everybody in life has probably had to deal with these different types of issues that go on and are not necessarily hamstrings,” he said. “I know people that I’ve dealt with in the past, I know people, doctors, all the experts help with these situations. I don’t think this is as unique as we’re making it out to be. This is an illness, and he’s done a good job of helping to get better and continues to try to get better and he is probably going to have to continue to do that just like we all have to do in life.”
Danielle Hunter and Stephen Weatherly have filled in productively during Griffen’s absence as the Vikings have won three consecutive games to move into first place in the NFC North.
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