When the 2020 season started, the Minnesota Vikings knew they would have a revenge game of sorts in Week 9 when Adrian Peterson would wear a Detroit Lions uniform into U.S. Bank Stadium. They knew two weeks later they would get another one when Everson Griffen would wear Cowboy grey and blue against the purple.
What no one saw coming was the marriage of these two moments.
That’s right, Griffen is officially a Lion via a trade with the Cowboys for a conditional sixth round pick. He will get his crack at the Vikings two weeks earlier than expected, and it will be his official debut with the Lions. Due to COVID protocol, Griffen will not be eligible to play against the Indianapolis Colts this week and will have to wait until the following Sunday in Minnesota.
Griffin seems thrilled about the opportunity. “I’m excited,” he texted Josina Anderson. “I just got to process everything. I’m gonna reach out to Adrian (Peterson) at some point, but I’m going home to pack… It’s cool, a brand new start.”
This was a smart move for a Lions team that has won two games in a row, is somehow in the playoff conversation and in desperate need of an extra edge rusher. And it was an easy decision for a Cowboys team whose season was all but lost, as they will recoup half of Griffen’s salary.
Griffen racked up a total of 74.5 sacks for Minnesota — 16 of those coming in 19 games against the Lions. It’ll be interesting, to say the least, to see him in the opposite situation.
As far as fan love goes, Adrian Peterson might have a bit of a checkered past with the purple. But with Everson Griffen, you would be hard-pressed to find a singular Vikings fan who has a bad word to say about him. He’s an all-time great edge rusher, part of the Minnesota miracle team, and a guy who overcame mental health issues with support of the organization.
It’ll be weird, and it’ll be fun — and most importantly it’ll be something to look forward to in a disappointing season.
Oh and since I mentioned Josina Anderson in this piece already, for fun why don’t we take a look back at what happened the last time she saw Everson Griffen on a football field?
One of the best interviews ever:
