New Orleans Saints safety Tyrann Mathieu announced his retirement today from professional football.
Mathieu, 5-9, 190, a New Orleans native and standout at St. Augustine High School, was originally selected by the Arizona Cardinals in the third round (69th overall) of the 2013 NFL Draft out of Louisiana State University. In his 12-year NFL career with the Cardinals (2013-17), Houston Texans (2018), Kansas City Chiefs (2019-21) and Saints (2022-24), Mathieu played in 180 regular season games with 171 starts and recorded 834 tackles (681 solo), 11 sacks, 36 interceptions returned for 530 yards, four brought back for touchdowns, 106 pass breakups, seven forced fumbles and eight fumble recoveries. His 36 picks were second in the NFL among active players upon his retirement. In 11 postseason contests with ten starts, he posted 49 tackles (40 solo), a 17-yard interception return and four pass breakups. Mathieu was selected to three Pro Bowls, three AP All-Pro teams and the Pro Football Hall of Fame's 2010's All-Decade Team.
In three seasons with the Saints, he started all 51 games he played in and posted 228 tackles (161 solo), one sack, ten interceptions for 195 yards in returns, including one brought back for a touchdown, 24 pass breakups, three forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries. In 2022, Mathieu led the Saints with three interceptions and tied for the team lead in picks in both 2023 (four) and 2024 (three). In 2024, Mathieu was the only member of the secondary to start all 17 games and finished with 62 tackles (47 solo), three interceptions, seven pass breakups, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery to lead the team with four takeaways.
Immensely respected off the field, Mathieu was selected a team nominee for the NFL Walter Payton Man of the Year both as a member of the Saints (2023) and Chiefs (2021). Through his Tyrann Mathieu Foundation, Mathieu worked to create positive change in the lives of youth and families in need, particularly those in his hometown; by providing resources and experiences, especially in the summer and around the holidays.
