New Orleans Saints defensive back Tyrann Mathieu announced Tuesday that he is retiring from the NFL after 12 seasons and three first-team All-Pro selections. The 33-year-old Mathieu, a product of LSU, spent the last three seasons with the Saints and started in all 51 regular season games.
“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,” Mathieu wrote on social media. “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 the strength when I needed it most, and your love carried me farther than I ever imagined.”
Mathieu logged a career-high 91 tackles in his first season with the Saints. He had 10 interceptions and 24 pass deflections over the past three years.
Though the timing of Mathieu’s retirement is surprising, given that New Orleans starts training camp on July 23, general manager Mickey Loomis said that Mathieu informed the franchise of his decision before he went public.
“Just have so much respect for Tyrann and what he’s accomplished,” Loomis said. “He’s a legendary Louisiana player, legendary NFL player. Really appreciate his time with us. He was fantastic and I have a lot of good things to say about him.”
Mathieu’s 2022 decision to sign with the Saints was a homecoming, of sorts. He played high school football at St. Augustine in New Orleans and enrolled at LSU in 2010 as one of the top prospects in America.
It was with the Tigers that he earned his famed “Honey Badger” nickname, inspired by his signature golden hair and his ferocious playing style. The moniker initially stuck with the fanbase and then gained steam on national broadcasts as Mathieu starred on defense. He was a 2011 Heisman Trophy finalist and won the Chuck Bednarik Award as the top defensive back in college football.
The Arizona Cardinals selected Mathieu with the 69th pick in the 2013 NFL Draft. He earned the first first-team All-Pro honor of his career in 2015 and in 2019 signed with the Kansas City Chiefs, where he again earned first-team All-Pro and a ring in Super Bowl 54.
Mathieu was a back-to-back Pro Bowler from 2020-21 with Kansas City. He finishes his NFL career with 838 tackles, 100 pass deflections and 36 interceptions.
What Mathieu’s retirement means for New Orleans
There is a bit of a youth movement in the New Orleans secondary in the wake of Mathieu’s retirement. First in line to replace him is likely Jordan Howden, a third-year safety and former fifth-round pick out of Minnesota.
Howden started 11 games over the last two years for the Saints, and earned plenty of playing time on special teams. He made a career-high 50 tackles and intercepted the first two passes of his career last season while serving as the top safety on the bench.
New Orleans also selected Virginia safety Jonas Sanker in the third round of the 2025 NFL Draft. He was a two-time first-team All-ACC selection with the Cavaliers, put together a solid NFL Combine performance — highlighted by a 4.48-second 40-yard dash — and comes to New Orleans with a solid 6-foot and 206-pound frame.
It’s hard for rookies to start at safety at any level, let alone the highest level of football, but it seems as if Sanker will need to be ready to play early.
The loss of Mathieu is offset a bit by the fact that New Orleans signed veteran safety Justin Reid in March. A two-time Super Bowl champion with the Kansas City Chiefs, Reid is now the most experienced member of New Orleans’ defensive backfield.
Reid started 49 games over the last three seasons with the Chiefs and finished the 2023 season with a career-high 95 tackles. He also had two interceptions last year, his most in a single season since 2021.
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