Tyrann Mathieu
NEW ORLEANS SAINTS
| Position | College | Years in the NFL |
|---|---|---|
| Safety | Louisiana State University | 11 |
Demonstrates Excellence on the Field
The versatile, hard-hitting, playmaking Safety and New Orleans native returned home, signing with the New Orleans Saints after the 2022 NFL Draft and brought extensive experience to the Saints secondary. Mathieu was originally selected by the Arizona Cardinals in the third round (69th overall) in the 2013 NFL Draft out of LSU and has played for the Cardinals (2013-17), Houston Texans (2018), Kansas City Chiefs (2019-21) and Saints (2022-). In ten NFL seasons, he has played in 146 regular season games with 137 starts and has posted career totals of 697 tackles (584 solo), 44 stops for loss, 11 sacks for a loss of 78 yards, 29 interceptions for 379 return yards, three brought back for touchdowns, 90 passes defensed, five forced fumbles, seven fumble recoveries and five special teams stops. Mathieu has been selected to three Pro Bowls, three Associated Press All-Pro teams and the Pro Football Hall of Fame's 2010's All-Decade Team.
Demonstrates Dedication and Commitment to Community Efforts this Year
Mathieu has continued to host his annual events for the people in his hometown community year round through his Tyrann Mathieu Foundation. The non-profit organization's mission is to positively impact the lives of youth by providing encouragement, opportunities, and the necessary technology to help them achieve their dreams.
He engages in impactful initiatives aimed at uplifting the local community through his participation in mentorship programs, educational workshops, and technology-focused activities designed to empower and inspire the youth in New Orleans. This season, he hosted his "Heart of a Badger" annual youth football camp where young athletes hone their football skills in a fun and supportive environment. He also hosted a Back to School "carnival- style" jamboree where kids from the local Boys & Girls Club and Son of a Saint received backpacks filled with school supplies. The kids also enjoyed obstacle courses, face painting, great music, and a cookout.
In addition, Mathieu provided 400 turkeys and fixings to local families in need via drive-thru distribution hosted at Salvation Army as part of his "Tyrann's Turkeys" event. As his Christmas-giving effort, he will host his "Tyrann's Christmas Blessing event," where he will surprise ten families from Son of a Saint, each with $1,000 worth of holiday gifts and necessities pulled from their "wish list," shortly after enjoying a catered meal by a local chef.
Mathieu remains dedicated to giving back to his hometown and works tirelessly to create a lasting and meaningful impact on the lives of the young individuals he seeks to support. Through his foundation, he continues to embody the spirit of generosity and community support, leaving a lasting legacy of empowerment and encouragement for the next generation.
Lastly, Mathieu has participated in Saints team initiatives where a local famous chef taught the youth of Son of a Saint how to prepare teen-preferred meals at home as they work to develop well-rounded youth. He has also helped to surprise a local football team with new equipment alongside a team partner and interacted with fans at the Saints Draft event.
Demonstrates Dedication and Commitment to Community Efforts in Years Past
Tyrann Mathieu has previously supported similar blocks of annual efforts as he has orchestrated this season. Every year, he is sure to host his Heart of a Badger Youth Camp to engage with local youth football athletes.
In addition, Mathieu has hosted Back to School shopping sprees for kids of Son of a Saint. Through a partnership with Academy Sports + Outdoors, Tyrann surprised 32 youth boys (ages 10 - 18) from Son of a Saint (an organization that aims to provide mentorship to fatherless boys) for a fun night of shopping and dinner provided by Raising Canes. At the event, each child received a special backpack to remember the evening along with a $200 Academy Sports gift card to shop in the store.
His Tyrann's Turkeys event during the Thanksgiving season has also always provided great support to his local community for families battling food insecurities, and his generous nature has always showered families with their "Christmas wish list" items during the holiday season.
Demonstrates Consistency in Positive Character and Models a Lifestyle of Giving Back
Mathieu has continued to invest his energy into validating the reason why his foundation was established – which is to impact the lives of financially disadvantaged children and youth through encouragement, opportunities, and resources to achieve their dream. He has remained committed to providing necessary resources to the individuals in his community and does so with great pride. The support, time, and resources he has invested in the youth of Son of a Saint have been immeasurable for the lessons learned by the youth through his mentorship and guidance are highly valued.
Mathieu's calm and engaging demeanor are appreciated by all, and he has maintained his standard of giving back to those in need. He was previously selected as a Man of the Year nominee with a former team, and his community engagement hasn't slowed down since as he has continued to build upon his annual events each year. The city of New Orleans and the state of Louisiana are lucky to have their native son back home to support and invest in its communities.
