Former Arizona Cardinals safety and current New Orleans Saints defensive back Tyrann Mathieu announced Tuesday that he is retiring from the NFL after a 12-year career that began in the desert.
The 33-year-old was due a $1.5 million base salary for New Orleans this year.
He posted the following caption 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.
From my first snap in college to my final play in the NFL, this journey has been nothing short of a blessing. Football gave me purpose, discipline, and memories that will stay with me forever. But more than anything, it gave me a community.
To every coach who believed in me, every teammate who battled beside me, and every fan who showed up, cheered, and rode with me through the highs and lows, thank you. You gave me strength when I needed it most, and your love carried me farther than I ever imagined.
I hope I made you proud out there.
This isn’t goodbye — it’s just the next chapter.
Tyrann Mathieu’s NFL career that started with the Cardinals
Mathieu, whose undersized stature and fearless play earned him the nickname of “The Honey Badger,” was Arizona’s third-round pick in 2013, a risky selection after he had been dismissed from the LSU Tigers team a year prior due to drug-related issues and arrest.
He quickly made an impression under head coach Bruce Arians and finished with 68 tackles, two interceptions and nine passes defensed before an ACL injury derailed his rookie season after 13 games.
Mathieu’s production took a hit the next season, but he made his first of three All-Pro selections as a member of the Cardinals in 2015. That year, he posted five picks and 17 passes defended.
A second ACL tear after a lucrative contract extension that season limited him the next year, but Mathieu rebounded in 2017 before he was released heading into the 2018 campaign.
The numbers didn’t sag off from there. He posted a strong year with the Houston Texans in 2018 before runs with the Kansas City Chiefs (2019-21) and the New Orleans Saints (2021-24).
Mathieu had not recorded fewer than 62 tackles in a season dating back to his 2016 year with Arizona.
