NFL CAREER – This versatile, hard-hitting, playmaking safety and New Orleans native returned home, signing after the 2022 NFL Draft and will bring extensive experience to the Saints secondary. Mathieu was originally selected by the Arizona Cardinals in the third round (69th overall) in the 2013 NFL Draft out of LSU and has played for the Cardinals (2013-17), Houston Texans (2018) and Kansas City Chiefs (2019-21). In nine NFL seasons, he has played in 129 regular season games with 120 starts and has posted career totals of 605 tackles (519 solo), 41 stops for loss, ten sacks for a loss of 78 yards, 26 interceptions for 335 returns yards, three brought back for touchdowns, 76 passes defensed, four forced fumbles, six fumble recoveries and five special teams stops. Mathieu has been selected to three Pro Bowls, three Associated Press All-Pro teams and the Pro Football Hall of Fame's 2010's All-Decade Team.
CAREER TRANSACTIONS – Signed by New Orleans to a three-year contract (UFA-KC), 5/4/21; Reinstated by Kansas City from Reserve/COVID-19, 9/11/21; Placed on Reserve/COVID-19 by Kansas City, 9/1/21; Signed by Kansas City to a three-year contract (UFA-HOU), 3/14/19; Signed by Houston to a one-year contract, 3/16/18; Released by Arizona, 3/14/18; Placed by Arizona on Reserve/Injured 12/23/16; Signed by Arizona to a five-year contract extension, 8/2/16; Placed by Arizona on Reserve/Injured, 12/22/15; Placed by Arizona on Reserve/Injured, 12/10/13; Signed to a four-year contract by Arizona, 5/23/13; Selected by the Arizona Cardinals in the third round (69th overall) of the 2013 NFL Draft.
2021 – Started the final 16 regular season games in his final season in Kansas City and recorded 76 tackles (60 solo), one sack, three interception returns for 56 yards, including a 34-yard runback for a touchdown, six passes defensed and three fumble recoveries. Started all three postseason contests and recorded six tackles (five solo). Selected to his third Pro Bowl…After being inactive for season opener (COVID-19 protocols), returned to lineup at Baltimore, Sept. 19, and posted six solo tackles and two interception returns for 50 yards, including a 34-yard runback for a TD and three passes defensed…Posted six tackles (five solo) and one sack vs. Green Bay, Nov. 7…Made four solo tackles and recovered a fumble and returned it 14 yards at Las Vegas, Nov. 14…Posted season-high nine tackles (seven solo) vs. Denver, Dec. 5…Recorded five solo tackles, picked off a pass that he returned six yards, recovered one fumble and added one pass defense vs. Las Vegas, Dec. 12…Recovered one fumble and posted two solo tackles vs. Pittsburgh, Dec. 26. 2020 – Started all 15 regular season games he played in for Kansas City and recorded 62 tackles (48 solo), six interceptions for 70 yards with a 25-yard return for a touchdown, nine passes defensed and one fumble recovery as he was voted first-team Associated Press All-Pro. Started all three postseason contests and made 16 tackles (13 solo), a 17-yard interception return and a pass defense…In opener vs. Houston, Sept. 10, posted a season-high eight tackles (season-high six solo)…at L.A. Chargers, Sept. 20, finished with five tackles (four solo) and one pass defense...Vs. New England, Oct. 5, recorded four solo tackles and returned an interception 25 yards for a touchdown in the fourth quarter to seal a 26-10 win…At Denver, Oct. 25, posted five solo tackles, returned an interception 18 yards and recovered a fumble…At Tampa Bay, Nov. 29, recorded five tackles (four solo) and a 22-yard interception return and one pass defense…Vs. Denver, Dec. 6, recorded seven tackles (four solo) and picked off two passes…At Miami, Dec. 13, Posted two solo tackles, one interception and two passes defensed…In Divisional Playoff win over Cleveland, 1/17/21, posted seven tackles (five solo) and returned an interception 17 yards. 2019 – Started all 16 regular season games and posted 75 tackles (63 solo), two sacks, four interceptions returns for 70 yards and 12 passes defensed, as he was voted as an AP All-Pro. In three postseason starts, posted 18 tackles and three passes defensed on the way to the Super Bowl championship…At Baltimore, Sept. 22, posted four tackles (two solo) and three passes defensed…At Detroit, Sept. 29, posted six tackles (five solo) and one sack…Vs. Indianapolis, Oct. 6, finished with four solo tackles and returned an interception 30 yards…Vs. Houston, Oct. 13, finished with a season-high ten solo tackles and one pass defense…At L.A. Chargers, Nov. 18, posted eight tackles (four solo), a 35-yard interception return and one pass defense…Vs. Oakland, Dec. 1, made one solo tackle, one interception and one pass defense…In regular season finale vs. L.A. Chargers, Dec. 29, finished with seven solo tackles, one interception and two passes defensed…Recorded three solo tackles and two passes defensed in Divisional Playoff vs. Houston, 1/12/20…Finished with nine tackles (six solo), a stop for loss and a pass defense in AFC Championship win over Tennessee, 1/19/20. 2018 - During the 2018 season, matched his career high with 89 total tackles (70 solo), a career-high 3.0 sacks, two interceptions, eight passes defensed, four quarterback hits, five tackles for loss and one fumble recovery with the Houston Texans. In Wild Card Playoff loss vs. Indianapolis, 1/5/19, posted eight solo tackles…In Texans debut in season opener at New England, Sept. 9, posted five tackles (three solo), one interception, one pass defense and one fumble recovery…At Jacksonville, Oct. 21, finished with five tackles, (four solo), one sack, one interception and one pass defense…Vs. Miami, Oct. 25, finished with seven tackles (six solo) and one sack…At Washington, Nov. 18, posted nine tackles (eight solo) and one sack. 2017 – In his final season in Arizona, started all 16 games and finished with 74 tackles (66 solo), one sack, two interceptions, seven passes defensed, one forced fumble and four special teams stops…At Indianapolis, Sept. 17, finished with three solo tackles, a 15-yard interception return and two passes defensed…Vs. San Francisco, Oct. 1, finished with a season-high 11 solo tackles, one sack and two special teams stops in 18-15 win…At San Francisco, Nov. 5, posted three solo tackles and one forced fumble in 20-10 win…Vs. Jacksonville, Nov. 26, finished with four solo tackles, one interception and three passes defensed. 2016- Started ten games for Arizona Cardinals and posted 35 tackles (33 solo), one sack, one interception for nine yards in total returns, four passes defensed and one forced fumble, before being placed on Reserve/Injured in Week 17 with shoulder injury…Vs. New England, Sept. 11, recorded seven solo tackles, including a stop for loss….Recorded two solo tackles vs. Tampa Bay, Sept. 18…At Buffalo, Sept. 25, had four solo tackles and one forced fumble…Recorded six solo tackles, one interception and two passes defensed vs. N.Y. Jets, Oct. 17…Vs. San Francisco, Nov. 13 and at Minnesota, inactive (ankle)…Returned and recorded two solo tackles, one sack, five interception return yards and a pass defense, at Carolina, Nov. 27...After missing two games (shoulder), returned vs. New Orleans, Dec. 11 and recorded six tackles (five solo). 2015 – Started the first 14 games for the Cardinals before suffering season-ending right knee injury…Tied for team lead with five interceptions and led the Cardinals with 16 passes defensed…Ranked third on the team with a career-best 89 tackles…Also had 11 tackles for loss, a sack, a forced fumble, three QB pressures and one QB hit…Named a Pro Bowler for first time, becoming the seventh safety in franchise history to earn Pro Bowl honors…Earned first-team AP All-Pro and PFWA All-NFL…Named November NFC Defensive Player of the Month, his first Player of the Month honor…Registered team-leading eight solo tackles vs. New Orleans, Sept. 13; also had a career-best three passes defensed and a tackle for loss…Recorded career-high two interceptions and his first NFL TD vs. San Francisco, Sept. 27; picked off Colin Kaepernick on 49ers second possession of the game and returned it 33 yards for a TD; then intercepted Kaepernick in the second quarter and his 17-yard return helped set up a field goal before halftime. Added five solo tackles, including one for loss, and had a team-leading two passes defensed; named NFC Defensive Player of the Week for first time in career…Forced a fumble in the third quarter and totaled six solo tackles and a pass defense vs. St. Louis, Oct. 4…Posted seven solo tackles, tied for team lead with three stops for loss vs. Baltimore, Oct. 26. Also had a fourth quarter nine-yard sack of Joe Flacco to force a punt; broke up a potential TD pass to Chris Givens in second quarter…Intercepted Russell Wilson in third quarter and returned it 24 yards to help set up a field goal at Seattle, Nov. 15. Also had six tackles and a team-high three passes defensed…Collected fourth interception of the year when he picked off Blaine Gabbert in first quarter at San Francisco, Nov. 29. Also led team with career-high 13 tackles, including one for loss, and had two passes defensed…Posted a team-high 11 tackles, including one stop for loss vs. Minnesota, Dec. 10. Also had one pass defensed and two QB pressures…Picked off a Sam Bradford pass in the fourth quarter and also had five tackles and one pass defensed at Philadelphia, Dec. 20. Suffered right knee injury in fourth quarter on pick…Placed on Reserve/Injured, Dec. 22. 2014 – Returned after season-ending knee injury in 2013 to play in 13 games with six starts) and collected 38 tackles (35 solo), two stops for loss, an interception, a fumble recovery and five passes defensed…Inactive (knee) vs. San Diego, Sept. 8…Recorded six solo tackles in just 15 defensive snaps vs. San Francisco, Sept. 21…Made first start of the season and collected four tackles, one pass defense, one fumble recovery and one QB hit vs. Washington, Oct. 12. Recovered Andre Roberts' fourth quarter fumble, the first of his career and his nine-yard return helped set up a field goal that gave Cardinals a 23-13 lead…Recorded four solo tackles and two passes defensed vs. Philadelphia, Oct. 26. Saw increased action at nickel cornerback after Patrick Peterson left game injured in second quarter…Picked off a Brandon Weeden pass intended for Jason Witten in the third quarter with the Cowboys in the red zone and Cardinals holding a 14-10 lead at Dallas, Nov. 2. Also had five tackles and a pass defense…Had three tackles at Atlanta, Nov. 30; left in first half (thumb)…Inactive next two games…Returned and notched five solo tackles vs. Seattle, Dec. 21…Recorded one tackle in Wild Card game at Carolina, 1/3/15. 2013 – Played in 13 games with 11 starts before suffering a season-ending knee injury and finished fifth on the team with 63 tackles and 15 passes defensed…Had two interceptions, one sack and one forced fumble, making him one of three rookies in the NFL to have at least two interceptions, one sack and one forced fumble…Named NFL Defensive Rookie of the Month for October…Also had four tackles for loss, three QB pressures, one QB hit and a special teams tackle…Made NFL debut and forced a Jared Cook fumble in the first quarter at St. Louis Rams, Sept. 8. Chased Cook down inside the 10 as he was going in for a score and knocked the ball loose for Karlos Dansby to recover in the end zone for a touchback; led the DBs with five unassisted tackles and added one pass defensed…Made first career start vs. Detroit, Sept. 15, and sealed the victory for Arizona when he tackled Nate Burleson one yard short of a first down on fourth-and-four on the Lions final possession of the game. Totaled six tackles, including one for loss, and had two passes defensed…In his return to hometown, recorded first career interception by picking off Drew Brees in end zone during the third quarter at New Orleans, Sept. 22. Led DBs with a season-high eight solo tackles and added a pass defense…Started in place of the injured Rashad Johnson and collected five unassisted tackles and two quarterback pressures at Tampa Bay, Sept. 29…Started for the second straight game and notched first career sack, taking down Cam Newton in second quarter to force a punt vs. Carolina, Oct. 6. Helped the Cardinals total seven sacks in the game, the most by the team since recording eight sacks on 9/13/87 vs. Dallas. Added five tackles, a pass defensed and a QB hit…Led the DBs with six solo tackles, including two for loss, and added one pass defense at San Francisco, Oct. 13…Collected one of the Cardinals four interceptions of Matt Ryan vs. Atlanta, Oct. 27. Tied for team lead among the DBs with seven tackles and added two passes defensed…Led DBs with seven tackles and had a pass defensed vs. Houston, Nov. 10…Led DBs with four solo tackles and added two passes defensed vs. Indianapolis, Nov. 24…Had an unassisted tackle and a pass defensed vs. St. Louis, Dec. 8, before leaving the game in the third quarter with a knee injury suffered returning a free kick following a safety…Placed on reserve/injured (knee), Dec. 10.
COLLEGE – Appeared in 26 games (14 starts) at Louisiana State University, registering 133 tackles (93 solo) with 16 tackles for loss, 16 pass breakups, 11 forced fumbles, eight fumble recoveries, four interceptions, 4.0 sacks and two defensive touchdowns...His 11 forced fumbles are the most in program history by a wide margin and are tied for the most in Southeastern Conference history...As a sophomore, earned 2011 National Defensive Player of the Year honors, was a unanimous first-team All-American and recipient of the Bednarik Award...Became the first defensive back to be invited to Heisman Trophy ceremony since Charles Woodson of Michigan in 1997...Finished fifth in 2011 Heisman Trophy voting with 327 points and 34 first place votes…Sports administration major.
PERSONAL – Was a standout at St. Augustine (New Orleans, La.) High School, where he recorded 32 tackles, five interceptions, one sack and one fumble recovery as a senior in 2019…Named to New Orleans Times-Picayune 2010 Blue-Chip List, Baton Rouge Advocate Super Dozen and the Mobile Register Super Southeast 120 and was a SuperPrep All-American…Mathieu's also been extremely active in every community where he has played football, including his hometown…The Chiefs 2021 team nominee for the Walter Payton Man of the Year award, he has held an annual youth football camp in New Orleans, as well as a celebrity kickball game in his hometown. In addition to using his foundation to impact the lives of financially disadvantaged youth, Mathieu made a $1 million donation to LSU for the Football Operations Center nicknamed "Honey Badger" and to establish a scholarship at the university...Name pronounced: TY-run MATH-you.
