Everson Griffen

Everson Griffen is a professional American football player in the National Football League (NFL). He currently holds the defensive end position for the Minnesota Vikings. This three-time Pro Bowl player is an intimidating figure in the field due to his massive size and muscularity.

Born on December 22, 1987 in Avondale, Griffen was a standout in football, basketball, and track while attending Agua Fria High School. While heavily-recruited, he chose to attend University of South Carolina where he garnered many awards for his football prowess. He declared for the 2010 NFL Draft and was selected by the Minnesota Vikings.

He recorded his first career sack when he tackled Josh Freeman, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback. In the 2012 season, he recorded a career-best 3.0 sack versus the Green Bay Packers. He finished strong with 27 tackles and 5.5 sacks in the 2013 season. Griffen’s breakout season came in 2014 when he led the team in sacks and was ranked ninth in the NFL.

In the 2015 season, he was invited to the 2016 NFL Pro Bowl in place of J.J. Watt. He was ranked number 92 in the Top 100 Players of 2017 but jumped to number 19 by the next season. Griffen’s current player statistics are 312 total tackles, 10 force fumbles, 6 fumble recoveries, 66.5 sacks, 2 defensive touchdowns, and 1 interception.

Achievements:

• 3-time Pro Bowl (2015–2017)
• Second-team All-Pro (2017)
• Second-team All-Pac-10 (2009)
• Pac-10 Defensive Freshman of the Year (2007)
• USA Today High School All-American (2006)