The Honey Badger is calling it quits.
Tyrann Mathieu announced on Tuesday that he’s retiring from football at 33 years old. Mathieu played 12 seasons as a playmaking NFL safety following a standout college career at LSU. He played his last three NFL seasons with his hometown New Orleans Saints.
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At his best, Mathieu was a dynamic defender and one of the best coverage safeties in football. He made three Pro Bowls and was a three-time first-team All-Pro.
Mathieu announced his retirement on Instagram.
“As I hang up my cleats, I’m filled with gratitude as I close this chapter of my life and officially retire from the game that’s shaped me in every way,” Mathieu wrote.
It’s not clear if anything specific prompted Mathieu’s retirement, or if he was just ready to call it a career after 12 NFL seasons. He restructured his contract with the Saints in March and was slated to play this season on what amounted to a one-year, $4 million deal.
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Mathieu was an All-American at LSU before being selected in the third round of the 2013 NFL Draft by the Arizona Cardinals. He dropped to the third round in part because of his dismissal from LSU for a violation of the team rules. LSU head coach Les Miles later called his decision to dismiss Mathieu “one of the worst things I’ve ever done.”
Mathieu quickly payed off on Arizona’s investment in him. Mathieu finished fourth in Defensive Rookie of the Year voting in 2013. By his third NFL season, Mathieu was a Pro Bowler and first-team All-Pro.
After five seasons with the Cardinals, Mathieu played a single season with the Houston Texans before a three-season stint with the Kansas City Chiefs in which he won a Super Bowl and was twice named first-team All-Pro.
Mathieu then joined his hometown Saints in 2022 and played his final three NFL seasons in New Orleans. He finishes his career with 36 interceptions, 11 sacks, eight fumble recoveries, seven forced fumbles and 838 total tackles.
