Everson Griffen’s name has carried plenty of weight over the years on the field for what he built, and off it for what followed him. Now, at the age of 38, when most pass rushers have long hung up their cleats, the former Minnesota Vikings standout is making his intentions known.

“That’s my desire to play again,” Everson Griffen said on The Exhibit. “But go ahead and clean. Yeah. But I know the things that I’ve done that I burnt bridges, but I feel like that’s repairable because, you know, I’m willing to do anything to mend them. I’m saying, clear this; you don’t have to worry about me going back to using again because this life is so much clearer.”

A fourth-round pick for the Vikings back in 2010, Griffen became one of the more impressive pass-rushers of his time, gaining four Pro Bowl selections along the way. Griffen also spent some time with the Dallas Cowboys and the Detroit Lions before coming back to the Vikings for a second stint.

That second chapter came to an abrupt and painful end in Week 12 of the 2021 season, when the Vikings placed him on the Non-Football Illness list following a mental health incident at his home.

Griffen has also opened up, at least somewhat, about his struggles with substance abuse, which puts him at odds with the league’s strict drug policy. He has openly shared that staying sober has been very difficult for him.

“I haven’t been one-year sober since, man, I don’t know,” he said. “It’s been a while. It’s been a while. I can’t remember. But life is good. Life is good. Sobriety is the place to be, and I’m thankful, and this is the clearest I’ve ever been. So, I’m so thankful, and I’m blessed to even be here talking to you right now. Because my life could look so much different than it is right now because of s*** I’ve been through, to be honest. I’ve been through a lot.”

Griffen appeared in 170 career NFL games, 156 of them with Minnesota, and became a beloved figure in the locker room and among fans. But retirement hasn’t been kind to him legally.

Just on Thursday, he was booked into Winona County Jail after allegedly driving without the ignition interlock device required under his restricted license.

So the desire is there. Whether the league is willing to look past everything else remains an open question.