The Arizona Cardinals have been vocal about wanting to sign Tyrann Mathieu to a long-term deal. The safety wants to be around longer than just one more contract.
"We're both eager, we're both interested," Mathieu told Mike Jurecki of Fox Sports 910 Phoenix on Saturday. "I want to spend the rest of my career here. The biggest thing is getting my knee right, rehabbing and being ready for 2016."
NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport reported last month that despite two ACL tears, the Cards are eager to lock down the safety long-term.
Mathieu suffered the second ACL injury in December. He told Jurecki on Saturday that he's further along in rehab than he was six weeks into the process the first time around.
"Hopefully (fans) can see me back for training camp, for right now it's going well I couldn't be happier, more pleased where I'm at right now in the direction I'm headed in," Mathieu said. "I'm really excited about next year what I'm going to be able to do."
Mathieu was a Defensive Player of the Year candidate prior to his December injury. A movable chess piece in the Cards' secondary, the Honey Badger brings flexibility few players offer on defense. He can fill the slot, blanket tight ends, blitz and fill gaps versus the run.
A healthy Mathieu in 2016 would be huge as Arizona looks to bounce back from a horrific playoff loss. It took the playmaking safety more than a year to get back to playing at 100 percent after his first ACL tear.
If the Cardinals and Mathieu get there way there will be plenty more years of the Honey Badger terrorizing defenses while wearing red.
