Tyrann Mathieu isn’t completely closing the door on a return to the NFL, but for now, the former Super Bowl champion and three-time first-team All-Pro remains confident in his decision after announcing his retirement Tuesday. When asked on Up & Adams Thursday whether he’d entertain a call from Kansas City Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo for another postseason run, Mathieu didn’t rule it out — but made clear where he currently stands.
“I mean, I’m retired,” Mathieu said. “And obviously I had that conversation with somebody close to me. I don’t think they really believed me, right? Because a couple days ago we were talking about how [Michael Jordan] took a couple years off and Deion (Sanders) did it. So, I think that’s always like a possibility. I don’t ever want to kind of rule anything out, but I think as of right now, where my spirit is, mentally, where I’m at, yeah, I think I’m for sure retired.”
The 33-year-old Mathieu still had one year remaining on his contract with the New Orleans Saints, where he spent the past three seasons. Prior to that, he had a three-year stint with the Kansas City Chiefs (2019–21), playing a pivotal role in their Super Bowl LIV championship run during the 2019 season. He began his NFL career with the Arizona Cardinals (2013–17) before spending one season with the Houston Texans in 2018.
Tyrann Mathieu’s legacy: What ‘Honey Badger’ lacked in size, he made up for in flair, ferocity and versatility
Jared Dubin
Mathieu made it clear that while he’s stepping away from playing, his connection to the game remains strong and he’s keeping an open mind about what’s next.
“I don’t know if it’s going to be TV, I don’t know if it’s going to be coaching,” Mathieu said. “I don’t know. But me being away from football, I don’t think that’s a thing, so even though I retired, I think my heart is still with the game and especially the players.”
While the timing of Mathieu’s retirement caught many off guard — just as the Saints were set to open training camp Wednesday — general manager Mickey Loomis said the veteran safety had informed the team of his decision before making it public.
Mathieu finished his 12-year NFL career with 838 tackles, 100 pass deflections and 36 interceptions.
