Earlier this offseason, former Minnesota Vikings star defender Everson Griffen had another run-in with the law.
He was arrested in Winona County last month after being clocked going 62mph in a 40mph zone. The traffic stop led to Griffen being charged with an ignition interlock violation and booked into jail. He was released quickly.
On Wednesday morning, August 26th, the former Vikings star was taken into custody yet again.
DE Everson Griffen Arrested on Wednesday Morning
GettyMINNEAPOLIS, MN – JANUARY 10: Everson Griffen #97 of the Minnesota Vikings runs onto the field prior to the NFC Wild Card Playoff game between the Minnesota Vikings and the Seattle Seahawks at TCFBank Stadium on January 10, 2016 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
Per Hennepin County’s Jail Roster, Everson Griffen was booked into Hennepin County Jail on August 26th at 5:38 AM. The charge reads as a misdemeanor “penalty for not complying with a police officer.”
Guy Still, the Assistant Manager at WCCO-TV, shared details of the arrest on X.
“Former MN Viking Everson Griffen is behind bars after a State Trooper deployed their taser on him during an encounter w/ the former defensive end. He was walking on I-394 near downtown Minneapolis just before 3 am this morning and refused to comply with commands to leave the road.”
Griffen had a court appearance at 1:30 pm per the records website. It’s a sad development for the former Vikings star, who has had multiple run-ins with the law over the years.
Everson Griffen Was a Vikings Pillar for Years
GettyMINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA – OCTOBER 13: Everson Griffen #97 of the Minnesota Vikings puts pressure on quarterback Carson Wentz #11 of the Philadelphia Eagles during the second quarter of the game at U.S. Bank Stadium on October 13, 2019 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images)
Everson Griffen played ball for the Vikings for 11 total seasons. During that time, he appeared in 156 total games. Over that span, he totaled 79.5 sacks and 12 forced fumbles. He also tallied 2 interceptions and 13 forced fumbles while wearing purple.
In 2020, he spent the year playing with the Detroit Lions and Dallas Cowboys. He would then return to the Vikings in 2021 for his 11th season with the team. 2021 would be the final year that Griffen made an appearance in an NFL game.
In a lengthy post last month on his personal Instagram account, Griffen shared that he is at almost one year of sobriety:
Life has given me every chance imaginable to keep my friends, protect my name, build a legacy my family could be proud of, and live an outstanding life, but l’ve been distant because I’ve been deep in the lonely work of owning that it’s all been my fault, the repeated mistakes, the burnt bridges, the pain I caused myself and others, the guilt and shame, and the hidden hurt I carried from childhood that showed up as a cry for help nobody fully saw.
I was blessed with success and opportunities most only dream of, survived amounts of drugs and partying that should have taken me out many times over, and I’m approaching a year of sobriety that is still brutally hard every single day, yet God’s favor kept me here when I didn’t deserve it.
I’m grateful, I’m humbled, I’m staying 100% real with Him and myself, and I’m finally ready to go deep into my full authentic story from the beginning the truth, the fear, the resilience, the grit, the new look at life, and the chances I still have ,so I can grow every day and share the no-sugarcoating wisdom that might help somebody else understand their own pain and find strength to keep going.
I had CHANCES. I’m scared but there is never a right time. The time is now.
As we said last time, we hope this isn’t a major thing going forward for Everson in his recovery. We wish him all the best of luck moving forward.
Former Vikings Star Arrested Again on Wednesday Morning: Report