The Honey Badger is hanging up his cleats.
Tyrann Mathieu, the diminutive 33-year-old safety, announced his retirement on Instagram on Tuesday in a stunning move that comes a day before the Saints open training camp.
“As I hang up my cleats, I’m filled with gratitude as I close this chapter of my life and officially retire from the game that’s shaped me in every way.” Mathieu wrote. “From my first snap in college to my final play in the NFL, this journey has been nothing short of a blessing. Football gave me purpose, discipline, and memories that will stay with me forever. But more than anything, it gave me a community.”
“To every coach who believed in me, every teammate who battled beside me, and every fan who showed up, cheered, and rode with me through the highs and lows, thank you. You gave me strength when I needed it most, and your love carried me farther than I ever imagined.”
Mathieu’s retirement comes just a month after he addressed media at New Orleans’ minicamp and not long after Kellen Moore was hired as head coach to replace the fired Dennis Allen.
“I’m a little surprised but we had some advanced notice,” Saints general manager Mickey Loomis said Tuesday. “Just have so much respect for Tyrann and what he’s accomplished. I mean, he’s a legendary Louisiana player, legendary NFL player. Really appreciate his time with us. He was fantastic. … What a great career.”
Mathieu also played for the Cardinals, Texans and Chiefs, racking up three first-team All-Pro selections, three Pro Bowl nods. He won a Super Bowl with Kansas City in 2019, wrapping up a 12-year NFL career that began as a third-round pick in 2013 who slid due to some behavioral issues while at LSU.
He’ll have some company in the retirement ranks with legendary Saints tight end Jimmy Graham officially announcing his playing days coming to an end.
“What a journey,” Graham wrote on X following the news.
Graham hasn’t suited up since 2023 in a return tour with New Orleans, the team that drafted him in 2010.
He spent the first five seasons with the Saints, establishing himself as a top-tier tight end with 4,752 yards and 51 touchdowns.
He never seemed to replicate his success in New Orleans during his subsequent stints with the Seahawks, Packers and Bears.
Graham recently made history with a 584-mile Arctic rowing challenge, completing the grueling journey in just over 10 days as part of the first mixed-gender and all-American foursome to do so.