There were hard feelings for Kansas City Chiefs safety Tyrann Mathieu when he was released by the Arizona Cardinals two years ago. However, now a defensive leader on the Kansas City Chiefs, the AFC champions playing in the Super Bowl this weekend, that experience was a turning point for Mathieu.
He was a fan favorite in Arizona. He was an impact player, but after two major knee injuries, he just wasn’t the same player.
“My last two or three years in Arizona (were difficult),” Mathieu said, according to Jeffri Chadiha in an NFL.com feature on the Chiefs safety. “I had the two knee injuries that a lot of people can’t come back from. I wasn’t really playing at the level I expect. All of that was different for me. I’ve never been hurt. I’ve always been available. I’ve always been the best guy on my team. And none of those things were the case anymore. So life was hard to live. And then when they cut me, I went in the bathroom and looked at myself and said that would never happen again.”
After his 2015 ACL tear, he was not the best player on the field in 2016 or 2017. He was a step slow and was picked on by opposing teams.
The Cardinals had given him a big contract extension and had to make a decision after 2017. They offered him a paycut he would not accept and ended up taking less money with the Houston Texans but was once again great. He turned that into a three-year, $42 million deal with the Chiefs.
Considering his road to the NFL and all he had to overcome to become one of the most popular Cardinals players, it shouldn’t be surprising he was able to bounce back from the injuries and the release to be one of the league’s best defensive backs again.
In just a few days, he might just be a Super Bowl champion. While he isn’t a Cardinal anymore, there are plenty of Cardinals fans still rooting for him.
Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Stitcher Radio.
Ep. 256
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