Photo : Justin Berl ( Getty )

Just two days after the Minnesota Vikings told defensive lineman Everson Griffen that he would not be allowed at practice until he received a mental health evaluation, Griffen was transported to a men tal health facility after he threatened to shoot someone at a hotel in Minneapolis and was acting erratically at home, according to a police report from the Minnetrista Police Department. The previously reported incident at the hotel was the culmination of weeks of strange behavior by Griffen, of which team personnel were aware.


The incident, which police say began around 2 p.m. Saturday and ended after 10 p.m., started with the director of security for the Vikings, Kim Klawiter, calling the police to ask them to check on Griffen’s wife and kids at their home, following Griffen’s incident at the hotel. The report said:

Kim told me that he and other Vikings staff are concerned about Everson Griffen and what he may or may not do to himself and or his wife and kids. Kim said that he hasn’t been acting normal lately and said that it’s almost like he is having a nervous break down. Kim said that it was so bad that the team told him not to play on Sunday and to go get his head straight.


When the officer arrived at the house, he found the family’s nanny waiting in the driveway. The nanny, who was scared that Griffen would come home and see her talking to police, said Griffen’s wife, Tiffany, had left the home with the couple’s three children. Then the officer met up with Tiffany at another location. From the report:

Tiffany said that Everson has not been acting normal lately. She stated that last Sunday on 09-16-18 they were sleeping and in the middle of the night he got up and left. Tiffany said that he does this from time to time as he is fighting with “demons” in his head and that it’s normal for him to run away and has done this throughout his life. Tiffany said that Everson didn’t return home until Wednesday 09-19-18. He said they verbally argued for a little bit and left about an hour later. Tiffany said that Everson didn’t return home until earlier in the moming Saturday 09-22-l8. Tiffany said she was taking a shower and he walked into the bathroom and the first thing he said to her was “So who Died?” Everson then made a comment about “I just want help.” Tiffany said he didn’t make any sense and asked him what he was talking about. A short time later Everson told Tiffany to get the fuck out.

According to Leslie Pico, the player development director for the Minnesota Vikings, Everson, a three-time P ro B owler who this season was elected team captain for the third straight year, “has really been struggling for the past few weeks.”

From the police report:

[Pico] stated that Everson is facing a possible divorce with his wife. Pico said that during practice this past week Everson has been explosive, screaming and yelling in the work place. Pico said that management sent him and his agent a letter on Thursday 09-20-18 stating he is not allowed back until he has a mental health evaluation. Pico said Everson has paranoia and has been repeating himself lately. Pico said that Everson called him on Saturday 09-22-18 and said he wanted to talk to him at his house. Everson then changed the location to Hotel Ivy in Minneapolis. When Pico got to Hotel Ivy, Everson forgot that he wanted to speak to Pico and didn’t want to talk to him. Pico said at no time did Everson make any comments about wanting to hurt himself or others. Pico said Everson is very smart about not making comments like that. Pico said that Everson’s speech is rapid and his conversations were irrational. Pico stated while the Minnesota Vikings want Everson to get a mental health evaluation, there is nothing that Everson has said or done that would rise it to the level where immediate action needs to be taken. Pico said Everson is not a harm to himself or others. I told Pico at this point there isn’t anything I heard from him that is concerning where I need to go knock on Everson’s door and say “hey you need to go in.” Pico said honestly at this point no, there is no need for that.


Eventually, police met with Griffen at his home. From the report:

Everson was outside yelling. Officer Thompson and I approached Everson. Officer Thompson and I spoke to Everson. Everson was making comments about “777" and that he went to Waynes house because “God made me do it” and went on to say that there was a sign on the front door saying “welcome fall” so that’s why he went there.


Paramedics were called to the home and Everson agreed to go to the hospital. However, on the way to the hospital, he “got up and jumped out of the ambulance because he was in fear that someone was going to shoot him.” The officers convinced him to get back in the ambulance and they escorted him to the hospital.

The Star Tribune reports that Everson is currently being evaluated and treated at a mental health facility. The full police report is below.