Vikings defensive lineman Everson Griffen posted a series of disturbing text messages and videos to his Instagram early Wednesday.
The screengrabs included texts with his agent in which he said someone was trying to kill him.
“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,” the team said in a statement. “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.”
Griffen posted a video in which he said that people were trying to “pop [him],” and displayed a weapon.
“I still got clips left,” he says in the video. “This is my gun … registered to me, I bought all my bullets around town, (Vikings running back) Dalvin Cook helped me purchase this gun. It all belongs to me.”
Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer said he was made aware of the situation early Wednesday, and that mental health professionals were at Griffen’s house working with him. A copy of the police report, obtained by ESPN, said police had been at his home in Minnetrista, which he has refused to come out of.
Griffen, 33, has had previous scary mental health incidents over the past several years. In 2018, he jumped out of an ambulance that was taking him to a hospital for a mental health evaluation. This was the culmination of several days of concerning behavior, including threatening to “shoot someone” if he was not allowed into his Minneapolis hotel room.
Griffen is an 11-year NFL veteran who has made the Pro Bowl four times. His whole career has been spent with the Vikings, except 2020, when he played for the Lions and Cowboys. This season, he has appeared in nine games and recorded five sacks.