"Seeing the Excitement of Larry Fitzgerald..": Tyrann Mathieu Reflects on His ‘Welcome to NFL’ Moment

After initially being selected by the Arizona Cardinals with the 69th overall pick in the 2013 NFL Draft, Tyrann Mathieu has officially announced that he will be retiring from the NFL. The 12-year veteran managed to see everything from the collapse of the New Orleans Saints to the Kansas City Chiefs’ Super Bowl podium, ensuring that he’ll carry a lifetime’s worth of memories with him into retirement. 

Of course, like any other player, Mathieu admitted that he’ll never be able to forget his ‘Welcome to the NFL’ moment. In fact, during his recent appearance on The Rich Eisen Show, the three-time All-Pro safety noted that he had more than a few of those moments. 

“Playing with Anquan Boldin as a 21 year old. If anybody remembers Anquan, he was just the symbol of a grown man, so that was tough at times. Playing against Marshawn Lynch, I had a few moments with him… I really think he just took it easy on me.”

For Mathieu, however, nothing will likely ever top his rookie debut against the then-St. Louis Rams. After a breakdown in coverage appeared to present a Rams’ tight end with a golden opportunity, Mathieu promptly recovered to make a play that would, in retrospect, announce his presence as one of the next premiere defenders of the league.

Not only did it give him the reassurance that he needed, but it also vindicated the belief that the team’s veterans had placed in him. 

“We’re in this two-man coverage… Jared Cook catches the ball and there’s nothing in front of him but paint… I’m kind of behind him, behind the play, and by the time he got to the endzone, I had met him there and I got the football out. I just remember making that play and seeing the excitement of Larry Fitzgerald and Bruce Arians, everybody that believed in me.”

Whether it was the aforementioned Bruce Arians or the vaunted Andy Reid, the three-time Pro Bowler enjoyed the benefit of working under several high-caliber coaches throughout his time in the NFL, and he is more than aware of that privilege. In fact, Mathieu went as far as to suggest that he “would be remiss” if he did not credit his past coaching staffs for “empowering” him throughout his career, especially in those early days. 

“I think it all started with Bruce Arians and Todd Bowles… that whole staff really did empower me and I felt like a great player. When I went to Houston, Bill O’Brien was definitely one of those coaches that encouraged me… I don’t think enough can be said about Coach Reid and Coach Spags… Then to be able to come back home and play for the Saints… When I think of the Saints, I don’t think of just football, I think of community.”

Mathieu will first become eligible for the NFL Hall of Fame in 2030. His career total of 685 tackles is the 16th most by any DB in NFL history, and was routinely heralded as one of the best secondary defenders of his time throughout his peak. 

From New Orleans and Kansas City to Arizona and Houston, it’s safe to say that the “Honey Badger” will be remembered fondly throughout the nation for years to come.