Mathieu: Playing for hometown Saints 'most definitely a dream'
Tyrann Mathieu always thought he was the right fit for his hometown team, the New Orleans Saints.
"This is most definitely a dream," the veteran safety said Wednesday during his introductory press conference with New Orleans. "Having the opportunity to represent this team, to be a part of this locker room, I've always been a fan of the way the Saints play football."
Mathieu, who spent the previous three seasons on the Kansas City Chiefs, reportedly inked a three-year, $33-million deal with the Saints on Monday. He didn't leave the Chiefs on the best terms and recently said he was "heartbroken" after Kansas City didn't offer him a new contract this year.
The 29-year-old first visited the Saints this offseason April 5, though the two sides didn't agree on a deal until after the 2022 NFL Draft.
"The Saints was really the only visit that I went on," Mathieu said. "From the get-go, I knew where I wanted to be. From there, it was just all about everything kind of coming together. ... I've kind of been manifesting this for a while now, a lot of former teammates know this, but just to have this opportunity means a lot to me."
Mathieu, who played college at LSU, can't wait to play in front of Saints fans.
"I think this is probably the most exciting fan base in all of football," he said.
The team's defensive system also excites the three-time Pro Bowler.
"This has always been a defense that I've seen myself being a part of, with how much passion they play, the energy," Mathieu said. "Just the tightness that you can just see, it pops off the screen when you watch the Saints play defense."
Mathieu will join a defensive unit that ranked fourth in points and seventh in yards allowed last year. The Saints, who lost safety Marcus Williams in free agency, also bolstered their secondary by signing safety Marcus Maye and drafting second-round cornerback Alontae Taylor.
Mathieu previously spent time with the Arizona Cardinals and Houston Texans before joining the Chiefs in 2019.