Former Minnesota Vikings All-Pro defensive end Everson Griffen was arrested on suspicion of driving while intoxicated for a second time in the past year early Wednesday (May 29) morning, the Star Tribune reports.
Griffen, 36, was initially spotted driving at a "high rate" in a Bentley Bentayga on I-35 West in Minneapolis at 11:35 p.m. on Tuesday (May 28) before being stopped by police. The former All-Pro defensive end reportedly showed signs of impairment before being booked into Hennepin County Jail early Wednesday morning.
Griffen had previously been arrested on suspicion of DWI in Chanhassen last July. The former NFL star was accused of driving 60 MPH in a 40 MPH zone and failed a breathalyzer, registering .01 over the legal limit.
The charge was eventually reduced to careless driving in February, which resulted in one year of probation.
"I operated my motor vehicle carelessly. Specifically, I drove at a high rate of speed while weaving in and out of traffic, after consuming alcohol. I believe my driving conduct thus endangered myself and others,'" Griffen wrote in a Carver County District Court plea document via the Star Tribune.
Griffen also previously shared concerning social media posts in 2021, which included the phrases "I need help" and "people are trying to kill me," in screenshots of text conversations, as well as a video showing himself holding a gun on his verified Instagram account. The former USC standout had a documented history with serious mental health episodes prior to the 2021 incident, which included police responding to a Vikings practice in September 2018 in which the former Pro Bowler was involved in an incident described as "explosive, screaming and yelling," leading to being ordered to get a mental health evaluation before returning to the team.
Griffen was selected by the Vikings at No. 100 overall in the fourth-round of the 2010 NFL Draft spent his first 10 seasons with the franchise (2010-19) before signing a one-year contract with the Dallas Cowboys in August 2020. The 36-year-old was traded to the Detroit Lions two months later and re-joined the Vikings in 2021, but appeared in just nine games.
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