Three KC Chiefs players with the most to prove in NFL playoffs
By Josh Fann
Tyrann Mathieu
Many would have thought All-Pro safety Tyrann Mathieu would have been signed to an extension before the beginning of the season as he is currently in the last year of his deal. He single-handedly transformed the play of the secondary in one season and is one of the unquestioned leaders of not just the defense, but the entire team.
Sure, Mathieu likes to mess around on Twitter and it looks bad when the team is losing, but when they are winning no one seems to car. They have been winning so, who cares?
It appeared to be a no-brainer that Mathieu should be extended before, so why hasn’t he been extended? General manager Brett Veach has admitted that they would like to get a deal done but that money is tight. This is odd because even though the Chiefs have been strapped for cash in the past you don’t really hear Veach admit it. However, I think it’s more than just “money being tight”. The Chiefs actually would have saved money this year if a Mathieu extension got done and they have sufficient cap space in the future to get a decent contract worked out with Mathieu.
To put it bluntly, I think the Chiefs and Mathieu are just too far apart on the money. Mathieu is getting older and it’s likely his last big contract so he’s likely trying to get as much as possible and the Chiefs don’t want to pay more than they have to.
As for Mathieu, he’s had a down year statistically speaking but this postseason is the perfect opportunity for him to show “you guys need me” and that he is the best free-agent signing in Chiefs history. If he comes up big then the Chiefs might be a little more willing to meet his demands and get something done.