Tyrann Mathieu did not need to be 'sold' on New Orleans Saints

The New Orleans Saints had an easy negotiating process with new safety addition Tyrann Mathieu. The former Kansas City Chiefs All-Pro told reporters in his introductory press conference that the team had to do very little work to sell him on returning to his hometown.

“When I watch this defense, they pop off the screen. Just with energy and passion, and all the different handshakes that they do. It’s fun and it’s exciting,” Mathieu said Wednesday after signing his new contract. “He didn’t really have to sell me too much, I was already sold. I just needed a couple of people to kinda give me the, ‘yeah, that’s cool, we’ll take you over here.'”

Mathieu signed a three-year, $33 million deal with the Saints out of free agency. It’s not the biggest contract of his career but he’s still averaging a top-15 salary amongst safeties.

The almost-30-year-old is coming off of a strong year for the 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 it lost to the Cincinnati Bengals.

Meanwhile, this offseason, the Saints lost safeties Marcus Williams and Malcolm Jenkins. They picked up Mathieu and also signed former Florida Gator Marcus Maye to a three-year deal.

Mathieu continuing career where it all started

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.