Chiefs Sign S Tyrann Mathieu

The Kansas City Chiefs announced on Thursday that the club has signed free agent safety Tyrann Mathieu.

“Tyrann’s a player we’ve had our eyes on for a while now, and we’re excited about him joining our team,” Chiefs General Manager Brett Veach said. “He’s versatile and tough, with a lot of playmaking ability. He’ll be a great addition to our secondary.”

“Brett and his staff did a tremendous job working to get Tyrann here in Kansas City,” Chiefs Head Coach Andy Reid said. “He’s a talented player and very physical on the football field. We are excited to get started working with him this offseason.”

Mathieu (5-9, 190) has played in 82 games (73 starts) in six NFL seasons with the Arizona Cardinals (2013-17) and Houston Texans (2018). His career numbers include 392 tackles (348 solo), 33 tackles for loss, 7.0 sacks, four forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries. He has tallied 13 interceptions, returning one for a touchdown and 49 passes defensed. Mathieu was named to the Pro Bowl and earned first-team all-pro honors following the 2015 season when he notched 89 tackles (80 solo), 1.0 sack, 17 passes defensed, one forced fumble and five interceptions.

Nicknamed “Honey Badger,” Mathieu originally entered the NFL as a third-round selection (69th overall) of the Arizona Cardinals in the 2013 NFL Draft. He played collegiately at LSU. The New Orleans, Louisiana, native, prepped at St. Augustine High School.