Saints safety Tyrann Mathieu announces retirement from NFL after 12 seasons

Tyrann Mathieu, the heart-and-soul safety known by NFL fans as "The Honey Badger," is hanging up his cleats after a decorated 12-year NFL journey. The former LSU standout and New Orleans native officially announced his retirement, bringing the curtain down on a career packed with highlight-reel plays, grit, and leadership.

Originally selected by the Arizona Cardinals in the third round of the 2013 NFL Draft, Mathieu made a name for himself with his relentless motor and nose for the football. He earned three first-team All-Pro honors, three Pro Bowl selections, and captured a Super Bowl ring with the Kansas City Chiefs during the 2019 season.

From college sensation to NFL champion, Mathieu leaves behind a legacy as one of the most instinctive and fearless defensive backs of his era.

Tyrann Mathieu started his professional football journey in 2013 when the Arizona Cardinals nabbed him in the third round of the NFL Draft. Revered for his playmaking prowess and instinctive nose for the ball, Mathieu entered the league brimming with promise as a dynamic presence in the secondary.

He spent the first five years of his NFL career in the desert with Arizona before heading to Houston for a one-year stint with the Texans in 2018. But it was with the Kansas City Chiefs that Mathieu truly left his mark—he anchored the secondary and played a pivotal role in the team's Super Bowl LIV title run.

In 2022, the New Orleans native fulfilled a dream by signing with his hometown Saints, where he made a significant impact across three seasons, piling up 228 tackles, 10 interceptions, and a sack along the way.

Despite attending mandatory minicamp in June, Mathieu's retirement still came as a bit of a shock to the Saints' brass.

Saints general manager Mickey Loomis told the media: "We really appreciate his time with us; he was fantastic."

Over the course of his storied career, Mathieu carved out a résumé few safeties can match: three first-team All-Pro selections, three Pro Bowl honors, 36 career interceptions, 11 sacks, and seven forced fumbles. A true leader on and off the field, The Honey Badger leaves behind a legacy defined by heart, hustle, and highlight-reel heroics.

In the aftermath of Tyrann Mathieu's retirement, the New Orleans Saints are moving quickly to bolster their secondary. According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the team is bringing in free-agent safety Julian Blackmon, formerly of the Indianapolis Colts.

Blackmon arrives with a solid résumé, having racked up 10 career interceptions, including an impressive seven picks over the past two seasons. The 26-year-old brings range, instincts, and playmaking ability to a Saints defense now looking to reshape its identity without The Honey Badger on patrol.