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Dan Wiederer began covering the Vikings in 2011, enthusiastically delivering insight on the team across the Star Tribune's print and digital products. Prior to joining the Access Vikings team, he spent seven seasons covering ACC basketball at The Fayetteville (N.C.) Observer. He also covered the Chicago Bears in 2003 and 2004. Follow him on Twitter @StribDW.
Mark Craig has covered football and the NFL the past 20 years, including the Browns from 1991-95 and the Vikings and the NFL since 2003. Since 2008, Craig has served as one of the 44 Pro Football Hall of Fame selectors. He can be followed on Twitter at @markcraignfl.
Griffen mourning the unexpected death of his mother
Posted by: Mark Craig under Injury report, NFC, Leslie Frazier, Adrian Peterson, Antoine Winfield, Leslie Frazier, Percy Harvin Updated: October 11, 2012 - 3:59 PM
Defensive end Everson Griffen did not practice today and might not play on Sunday as he mourns the unexpected death of his mother, Sabrina Scott, coach Leslie Frazier said after practice today.
"I'm not sure what his status will be going forward," Frazier said. "Our prayers as an organization, as well as his teammates are with he and his family.
"It's purely up to him when he comes back. There's no timetable. I told him yesterday, he needs to go through the grieving process properly. Don't be worrying about football. Just do whatever he needs to do away from football. His mom was very, very close to him."
Scott was visiting her son at the time of her death. Griffen was at Winter Park when Eden Prairie police called Frazier with the news. Frazier called Griffen into his office, where the officers broke the news to Griffen.
"As you can imagine, it was tough news," Frazier said. "There was nothing that could have prepared him for that news. It was unexpected. Completely unexpected.
"It's hard. He loved his mom, like we all do. And to have no clue that something like this was on the horizon was tough. It's still tough."
Frazier said he had no details of the cause of death.
Frazier and several players spent part of Wednesday evening at Griffen's home in Eden Prairie.
"I was so so impressed with our players last night," Frazier said. "We were at his home just to support him. The way they reached out to him last night. Some of the guys who were there, the maturity they showed, I drove away from his home ... to see the support that our players displayed, I was really encouraged by that."
Frazier also gave some injury updates as well:
- Receiver Percy Harvin was added to the injury report after being limited because of hamstring tightness. It's nothing serious, Frazier said.
- Running back Adrian Peterson returned to practice, but was limited. "Adrian was much better today," Frazier said. Frazier said he's "pretty positive" Peterson will play on Sunday.
- Receiver Jerome Simpson (foot/lower back) returned to practice, but was limited. "Jerome was a little bit better," Frazier said. "We'll have to see how he is tomorrow and see if he can put together some back-to-back days." Frazier said he'll have to wait to see how Simpson moves on Friday before he declares Simpson ready to play on Sunday. "I'm not so sure about Jerome," Frazier said. "I want to see how he does on back-to-back days and talk with him after practice."
- Other players who were limited in practice today were: left guard Charlie Johnson (lower back), linebacker Marvin Mitchell, who's calf injury "flared up" today, according to Frazier, safety Andrew Sendejo (ankle) and cornerback Antoine Winfield (knee).
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