Minnesota Vikings defensive end Everson Griffen was indeed suited up and back on the football team with his teammates today at TCO Performance Center. Here's the proof...
But it was after practice that Griffen met the media and broke his silence for the first time in over a month since stepping away from the team to deal with his personal situation.
"First off, I want to take full responsibility for my actions that went on in September," Griffen said in an opening statement. "I had a lot of support from my family, the Minnesota Vikings, the doctors, my teammates, the fans and you know I want to give my apologizes to people I impacted. I’m sorry if I affected them in any type of way. I’m just excited to get back here with my team and get back to the grind of things. It’s been hard to be away but I’m happy to be back. It’s a good feeling right now and I’m taking one day at a time and one thing at a time to get things back on track."
Griffen stepped away from the team to deal with a mental situation after incidents unfolded in September that left loved ones and strangers alike concerned for his safety.
While the specifics of Griffen's ailment have not been made public, the Vikings and Everson himself are still taking the situation a day at a time.
"This is bigger than football," Griffen added.
That was a sentiment that Mike Zimmer echoed earlier in the day saying...
"I bet ya there's people in this room that have had to deal with these kinds of issues as well. Everybody in life has had some kind of these different types of issues that go on that aren't necessarily 'hamstrings'...I don't think this is as unique as what we're making it out to be this is an illness and he's done a good job of helping to get better and continues to try and get better."