The Minnesota Vikings have acknowledged the concerning video and Instagram posts made by DE Everson Griffen. The team posted their official statement to social media Wednesday morning.
“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.”
As mentioned in the Vikings statement, their current concern is the health and safety of Griffen and his family. Griffen and his wife have been married since 2014 and they have a child together.
The statement came out after Griffen's Instagram posts began circulating around social media and people expressed their concerns for his mental health. One Instagram post was a video of Griffen with a gun. Another showed text messages to his agent, saying that people were trying to kill him and that he needed help.
A few NFL players have come forward about their struggles with mental health this season. Philadelphia Eagles offense tackle Lane Johnson missed game time to manage his mental health. Once he was ready to return, he opened up about his struggles with anxiety and depression. “If you're reading this and struggling, please know you are not alone,” Johnson tweeted before his first game back.
Tennessee Titans wide receiver AJ Brown also shared his experiences with depression and self harm. Brown assured men that their mental health is important, even though it is often overlooked. “It's OK to talk to someone,” he said.