Everson Griffen announced that he is bipolar in an Instagram post on Friday. The Minnesota Vikings defensive end said he will be an advocate for mental health after an incident last week in which he called police to his home and then refused to leave.
“It’s true I am bipolar,” Griffen said. “I will embrace it and I will be an advocate for mental health. I have been running from it for a long time.
Griffen said that he began to experience trouble with the passing of his mother, who died suddenly in 2012.
“I’m not ashamed of it anymore. It all started when my mother passed away. Went into a dark place, thought I was great for many years. I promise this time I will do everything the experts say and my wife. I love my family and I miss my friends. Thank you for all the love and support, but most of all thank you for all the prayers.”
The 33-year-old had to be transported to a mental health facility after he refused to come out of his home following a disturbing series of posts he made on Instagram, including one in which he held a gun and said people were trying to kill him.
Griffen is in his 11th NFL season. He has made the Pro Bowl four times and has 85.5 career sacks.
This was hardly his first bout with his mental health issues, as he jumped out of an ambulance that was taking him to a hospital for a mental health evaluation back in 2018. At the time, he had threatened to “shoot someone” if he was not allowed into his Minneapolis hotel room.
The Vikings placed Griffen on the reserve/non-football illness list, meaning he will miss at least three games.
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