Former Minnesota Vikings Star Arrested and Jailed for DWI and Cocaine

A former Minnesota Vikings star was arrested earlier this week in Minneapolis after being pulled over by the Minnesota State Patrol, and this isn't his first run in with law enforcement.

TMZ Sports reports that just after 11:30 PM on Tuesday, May 28th, pulled over a Bentley going 82 MPH in a 55 MPH, the State Trooper initiated a traffic stop and what happened next sent this ex-Viking to jail.

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When the officer arrived at the car window, they noticed two individuals in the vehicle and the smell of alcohol, the driver was former Vikings defensive end Everson Griffen. In the criminal complaint, the officer made the observation that Griffen had "slightly watery eyes."

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Griffen agreed to a field sobriety test after telling the officer he had only had one drink more than 10 hours earlier, he failed the test and was given a breathalyzer test, which came back with a reading of 0.10, 0.02 over the Minnesota state limit.

During a search of the vehicle, officers found something more troubling, a vial containing .02 grams of cocaine. Griffen was arrested and sent to jail facing charges of, driving under the influence, fifth-degree drug possession, and careless driving.

Last July, Griffen was arrested in Chanhassen for DWI, that charge was dropped in a deal with prosecutors earlier this year. Back in 2018, when he was still playing with the Vikings, he had been arrested for breaking into a teammate's house, and he threatened to shoot someone at a Minneapolis hotel, he got some mental health treatment at the time.

Griffen left the Vikings in 2020, he played a little with the Cowboys, and the Lions, before returning to the Vikings in 2021, he only played in 9 games that season before having another mental health crisis that forced him to be benched.

He is clearly dealing with some serious demons, and I hope that he can get the help that he needs. If you or someone you know is suffering a serious mental health crisis, please call the National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988, the 988 Lifeline provides 24/7, free and confidential support for people in distress.