Everson Griffen is saying he wants another shot in the NFL, and that alone is enough to turn heads with Vikings training camp opening this week.
In an interview with Josina Anderson, the former Minnesota pass-rushing standout said he’s aiming for a comeback. The conversation runs about an hour, and Griffen also discussed reaching one year of sobriety, along with his bipolar disorder and other topics.
The football part of the equation is a lot tougher.
Griffen is 39, which doesn’t automatically close the door in the NFL, but it does make the climb steeper. Chris Doleman, after all, returned to the Vikings at 38 and finished with eight sacks before retiring.
The bigger obstacle is the time away. Griffen has not played in an NFL game since Week 11 of the 2021 season, nearly five years ago.
That came during his second stint with the Vikings, and after that game the team placed him on the Non-Football Illness list following a mental health incident at his home. That move ended his 2021 season and, as it turned out, his NFL chapter.
Griffen says he could be ready in three months. With the regular season about seven weeks away, that would push any realistic return to late September or early October at the earliest.
If he has handled his personal issues and wants to try to get back on the field, there’s nothing wrong with wishing him well. But as a comeback story, this one comes with plenty of doubt attached.
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