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When we last spoke about the ongoing situation with Minnesota Vikings’ defensive end Everson Griffen, it was to bring you a report from Adam Schefter that said the team didn’t expect #97 to be back on the field any time soon.
As you might expect with a situation like this, things change quite a bit. Andrew Krammer of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune was on hand for Mike Zimmer’s press conference on Thursday afternoon, and brings us the following pair of tweets:
Asked Mike Zimmer if the #Vikings expect Everson Griffen to return this season:
— Andrew Krammer (@Andrew_Krammer) October 11, 2018
“I saw the report and I think it was false, let’s just say that.”
Zimmer said he was referring to ESPN report that Vikings don’t expect him back ‘anytime soon.’
Followed up by reaffirming with Zimmer, asking 'so it's false the team isn't expecting him back soon?' He winked.
— Andrew Krammer (@Andrew_Krammer) October 11, 2018
Krammer did confirm that Griffen’s return would not be this Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals at U.S. Bank Stadium.
As we’ve stated in pretty much every story about the Griffen situation since we first got wind of it, obviously the most important thing is for Griffen to get himself in a good place mentally, and then worry about making a return to the football field. As much as we all want to see him out there, that has to be the first priority for him and the team.
That said, I’m certain this won’t be the last update that we’ll have on Everson Griffen going forward. We don’t have any sources or anything like that within the organization, so we’re just sort of rolling with the reports we get from other sources on this one. But, if Mike Zimmer’s demeanor on Thursday is any indication, we might be getting closer to the return of Sack Daddy after all.