Everson Griffen 'ready to go to work' for Lions after trade from Cowboys

Detroit Lions coach Matt Patricia didn't have much to say on Wednesday about his team's trade to land Everson Griffen a day earlier. Knowing the veteran defensive end won't be able to suit up for the team until next week, due to the league's COVID-19 protocols, Patricia preferred to reserve his thoughts about the acquisition until then. 

Of the little Patricia did offer, he noted his familiarity with Griffen made pulling the trigger on the deal easier when the opportunity presented itself.

"I think it does help when you know a player like Everson, and played against him so many times," Patricia said. "Sometimes (offers) come up quick, and obviously you have a lot of different things, a lot of different balls in the air, and you have to make those decisions.

Similarly, Griffen won't be able to officially meet with local media until early next week, but that didn't stop him from sharing his jubilation with the trade on social media. 

That started with a profanity-laced tweet Tuesday evening. 

"Our journey continues to the great city of Detroit," Griffen wrote. "To the Detroit fans, y’all are getting a (expletive) dog ready to eat. Lions, thank you for blessing my family with another opportunity to bEGreat. I can’t (expletive) wait. See y’all tomorrow."

The "bEGreat" is intentional, a hashtag used by Griffen that emphasizes his initials. 

On Wednesday, Griffen documented segments of his departure from Dallas, including saying goodbye to his wife and three sons. 

Once on board the plane, Griffen once again shared his excitement in a selfie video. 

"This has been a blessing," he said. "I'm grateful. I'm thankful. Words can't describe how blessed I feel right now. I'm ready to go to work. I'm ready to help this team win. One Pride, Detroit Lions, here I come, Everson Griffen, I cannot wait. Let's get it." 

Griffen, 32, has 77 career sacks, including 2.5 this season. As a member of the Minnesota Vikings in 2019, his 66 quarterback pressures ranked 15th in the NFL. 

jdrogers@detroitnews.com

Twitter: @Justin_Rogers