Tyrann Mathieu has a fairly anti-Chiefs agenda in the short term. But as far as his long-term career plans, he might want to consider getting ahold of old friends in Kansas City to see what's possible.
The New Orleans Saints employ Mathieu these days, and the franchise itself has given him a chance to play in his home state of Louisiana. That said, some recent comments by Chiefs head coach Andy Reid show not only the strong bonds between Mathieu and some people on his former team but also the way the area impacted him as well.
The Chiefs host the Saints in Week 5, which means a visit from Mathieu and his teammates to Arrowhead on Monday Night Football is on the books. It should be an interesting game with plenty of star power from both teams and a clash of strengths in primetime.
Tyrann Mathieu has a big, big fan in Andy Reid.
The Saints' visit will also be a homecoming for a few players to see their former teammates and coaches one more time. Mathieu is hardly the only one, as defensive linemen like Tanoh Kpasasgnon and Khalen Saunders will also be shaking hands and giving hugs to those who were in the trenches with them in K.C. The same can be said for linebacker Willie Gay Jr., even as he nurses a hand injury.
In preparation of facing the Saints, head coach Andy Reid took questions from the media on Thursday and was asked about Mathieu.
" phenomenal player. I'll vote for him for the Hall of Fame going forward. I don't have the vote, but I would vote for him," said Reid. "He's a tremendous leader. He actually makes this his home here so I think when he's done, he'll probably come back here. Great kid, great player, brings a lot of energy."
It was the middle line that was interesting—that Mathieu makes Kansas City his home for now. Given his history in Louisiana and the fact that he'll be spending as much or more time in NoLa as he did in K.C. at all makes it quite interesting that he would pick Kansas City as an offseason home, but that speaks to the region, the fans, and the experience of playing with and for the Chiefs for a player like Mathieu.
Given Reid's fandom and Mathieu's own ties to the area, it would be interesting to see if Reid would ever want to convince Mathieu to join his staff. The veteran safety has been a leader of men on the field at every level and he was every bit an extra coach in the secondary when he played for the Chiefs.
Reid is also not shy about bringing former players into the fold on his own staff. Mike Kafka was a quarterback for Reid before coaching his quarterbacks. Todd Pinkston, the Chiefs' current running backs coach, played wide receiver for Reid's Eagles. The same can be said of former Chiefs coach Greg Lewis, now with the Washington Commanders. In other words, a precedent has been set.
Mathieu is in his 12th NFL season and has 35 career interceptions in 167 games played. He's also been named All-Pro on three separate occasions with another three Pro Bowl mentions on his resume.