Tyrann Mathieu reveals if he considered making return to Kansas City

The Tyrann Mathieu saga came to an end with a beautiful homecoming to New Orleans. However, the former LSU star wouldn’t have minded returning to Kansas City to play another season with the Chiefs.

In an appearance on The Rich Eisen Show, the freshly-minted member of the Saints revealed if he considered making a return to Kansas City in free agency.

“For me, I always kind of held out hope,” started Mathieu. “We won a lot of games the last three years. Obviously, I felt like I was a productive player. Really played some of my best ball in those three years. So yeah, I was hoping that I would possibly come back. But, it was kind of like a two-way street.

“All in all, I think it worked itself out. I think the things that I’ve accomplished with the Chiefs, those things people could never take away. So, just really happy to have been apart of all three of those teams. I think all three of those teams were really special.”

Evidently, the three seasons Mathieu spent in Kansas City weighed heavy on his mind, but a return simply wasn’t in the cards.

Continuing, Mathieu signed a three-year, $33 million deal with the Saints. While it isn’t the biggest contract of his career, he’s still averaging a top-15 salary amongst safeties.

The almost-30-year-old is coming off of a strong year for the aforementioned Chiefs. He made 76 total tackles, three interceptions, three fumble recoveries, and a sack. He led the defense in tackles and interceptions. As a captain, he helped lead Kansas City to the AFC championship game – where they lost to the Cincinnati Bengals.

Nevertheless, Tyrann Mathieu is home, and wouldn’t trade the road he took to get there for anything.

More on Tyrann Mathieu, New Orleans Saints

Furthermore, Tyrann Mathieu’s return to New Orleans brings him much closer to his alma mater as well. He’s been a frequent visitor in Baton Rouge since his departure from the program. Mathieu has also put in work to help the Brian Kelly era get off on the right track.

Mathieu starred at LSU from 2010-11 and went to the Arizona Cardinals as the No. 69 overall pick in the third round of the 2013 NFL Draft. In his nine-year NFL career, he has 26 interceptions — including three pick-sixes — and six fumble recoveries.

Out of high school, Mathieu was a four-star recruit and the No. 6 recruit from the state of Louisiana from the Class of 2010, according to the On3 Consensus, a complete and equally weighted industry-generated average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.