Welcome Back Everson

For the last five weeks, the Vikings have been without one of their best defensive players. Everson Griffen has led the team in sacks three out of the last four years. He’s also, along with Marcus Sherels and Andrew Sendejo, the longest tenured member of the team, having been a Viking since he was drafted in 2010. And to crystallize the role he has on this team, he was voted captain to begin the year. Listen to any Vikings player, coach, or fan talk about Griffen, and you will quickly understand that we are talking about one of the most popular players in the locker room. And for the last five weeks, he hasn’t been with the team.

This is pretty unusual for a player who is in good standing among his peers. It is not uncommon for a player to miss games due to injury, but typically that player will be in the facility, and often they will attend games, watching from the sidelines. Occasionally, a player will spend significant time away from the team. These situations usually revolve around contract issues, and the reaction of teammates and fans is generally very negative. But Everson has been away dealing with mental health issues, and so the emotions of those closest to him have been very different.

I think this is an incredibly important point. In this situation, a mental health Issue in the NFL was met with understanding and compassion within the locker room. This is not what we typically expect from that particular ecosystem, and it is a welcome sign of changing sentiments and human understanding. One only needs to think back a few years to the treatment of Miami Dolphin’s player Jonathan Martin by teammate Richie Ingognito. While Martin was perceived as weak for his anxiety and run out of the league, Incognito, who exacerbated the problem with viscous bullying, ended up becoming a Pro-bowler a few years later.

Everson Griffen’s situation was treated much differently. Any time head coach Mike Zimmer was asked about it, he deflected any talk about Griffen’s return as a football player, and rather expressed concern for his health. And to be fair, he had good reason. It’s always concerning when you see a story like the one that led to Everson’s absence. On the Saturday before the Viking’s home game against the Bills (a game in which he was already not going to play due to a Knee Injury), Griffen was involved in a threat to an employee in a Minneapolis hotel. Later, police were again called to his home. When he was being taken to a hospital for evaluation, he ran from police. Given these circumstances, it is refreshing to see a team operated from a position of caring for their player’s well being, rather that thinking of the impact on the field and the public relations issues that often ensue.

There is another discussion that needs to be had here as well. These types of situations have in recent years raised concerns about a number of issues facing the NFL. One example is the league’s policy on Marijuana, which has been so penal that is had led to many players using less detectable but much more unstable synthetic alternatives, which often have really concerning side effects. The arguably bigger issue that the NFL faces in these situations is questions about the violent nature of football, and whether repeated blows to the head cause significant damage to a players mental health. With more research coming out every year pointing to major concerns with head injuries, situations like the one Everson Griffen was just involved in often lead to more questions about the dangers of football. Ultimately, we don’t know and may never know what factors were in play in this particular situation, but we can all agree that that the most important thing is for Griffen to prioritize his own health over anything on the football field.

Which brings us to the exciting news of the day. Everson Griffen returned to the Vikings this week. He practiced in full all week and is expected to play tonight against the New Orleans Saints. Even now, with all of the excitement for his return, Everson has largely talked about the fact that his journey is still not complete, and that he has work ahead to continue to improve his mental health. Still, I would imagine it has to feel good for a person to get back to being with with familiar people doing familiar things, given what Everson has been through. His impact on the field will no doubt be positive, and his impact in the locker room perhaps more so. But ultimately, the impact he can make by the way he and his team have owned his health, prioritized his well-being, and set an example for others going through similar circumstances may well have the most significant impact of all.