My name is Everson DeWayne Griffen. I was born on December 22, 1987, in Phoenix, Arizona, and raised in Avondale. From Agua Fria High School, to the University of Southern California, to being drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in 2010, football was my world. Was supposed to go first round but it didn’t happen that way. I took a different path. For 12 years, I gave everything to the game.

But behind the sacks, the Pro Bowls, and the cheers, there was a battle most people never saw.

In 2012, I lost my mother, Sabrina Ann Scott, to an coronary artery dissection. That loss shook me to my core. I didn’t even cry, but inside a storm was building. Growing up, we were “hood rich” at a young age. Just ask my brother CHARLES GRIFFEN. We learned early to survive, to stay alert, to push through chaos. And I believe this with everything in me: your childhood shapes the adult you become. Mine left scars.

I’m not here to hide or make excuses. I’ve lived with bipolar disorder and addiction, and that has been the hardest fight of my life. I started using at 10 years old—weed at first, but eventually pills, cocaine, and everything that came with it. For years I denied it, but today I say it with power: I am an addict. And admitting that truth is freedom.

What most people don’t know is that I played all 12 years of my NFL career unmedicated, battling bipolar the entire time. The highs, the lows, the darkness—I carried it all in silence. I was officially diagnosed in 2017, once diagnosed it was my decision not to take medication. I have been playing so long without anything. Was too scared to try something different. Should have listened but in life we fuck up. When I retired in 2021, I was completely lost.

With football gone, I chased what I thought would wake me up—cocaine. For four years, I used almost daily, convincing myself clarity would come. But addiction doesn’t work that way. The disease always wins when you pick it back up. And I paid the price: two DUIs in ten months, caught with cocaine, caught speeding 129 mph. My spiral was real, and it nearly destroyed me.

But here’s the difference—I’m still standing. And now I’m fighting back.

That’s why I’m being bold. That’s why I’m saying fuck it. I’m taking a leap of faith, pushing myself harder than ever before. Just like in the NFL, I’m training, preparing, and competing—but this time, it’s for something bigger.

On September 29, 2025, I will begin a 424-mile walk from Williamson, West Virginia, to Nashville, Tennessee—for bipolar awareness and suicide prevention. I will finish on October 14, 2025. And I’ll be live streaming every step of the way.

This isn’t just a walk. It’s a statement. It’s proof that discipline, routine, and belief in yourself can carry you through anything. That’s why I built my bEGreat logo—a reminder that greatness is a choice, every second of every day. The railroad tracks in the design represent the grind, the story, and the beauty of struggle.

Here’s the truth: you can’t fight until you love yourself. I’ve won battles and lost battles, but you’re not defined by your wounds—you’re remembered for the ones that heal. Cracks will form again and again, but with faith, honesty, and daily maintenance, you come back stronger every time. Life will test you, but growth comes in the fight.

This journey is about being 100% real with yourself. Trusting yourself fully—in every decision, every moment, every step. Because at the end of the day, those choices are what carry you forward, day by day.

That’s why I challenge you: bEGreat in everything you do. Look good, feel good, compete great in life. Because life is the biggest competition of all. The only question is—what are you fighting for?

When I played in the NFL, they called me Griff. I’m still Griff—but now, I’m competing for something greater. I’m walking for everyone battling bipolar. For everyone fighting addiction. For everyone who’s ever thought about giving up. And above all, I’m walking for my mother, Sabrina Ann Scott. Rest in peace, Mama. I love you forever.

But this is bigger than just one walk—it’s a plan.

I started with 10 days at The Retreat in Wayzata, where the foundation was laid. From there, I spent 20 days at Beauterre, digging deeper and rebuilding my mindset. Now, I’m in the middle of a full month of advanced counseling, sharpening my tools and strengthening my foundation for what’s ahead.

After the walk, I’ll head to All Points North in Edwards, Colorado, for a month-long PHP program. Then I’ll return to advanced counseling, because growth doesn’t stop—it’s daily work, it’s accountability, it’s a lifestyle. And I’ll be announcing my fifth location live—because this is not just about me, it’s a movement.

70% of proceeds will go directly to the people and places that shaped me—the churches of choice, the Boys & Girls Club that raised me in AVONDALE, AZ, and NAMI, an organization that can reach lives in ways I can’t… YET. The remaining 30% will launch the bEGreat Foundation, a mission to bridge the gap for youth in crisis and create real change where it’s needed most.

I’m finally getting to know my true self, and the greatest gift I can give this foundation is full access to who I am. bEGreat will always put God first, and let our actions—not just our words—propel us into greatness.

This isn’t just charity. This is purpose. This is impact. This is legacy.

We have the blueprint. Now it’s time to execute.

LET’S GET IT. IT’S UP. #bEGreat