Tyrann Mathieu is a professional football player who plays in the National Football League. He serves as a safety in the league for the Kansas City Chiefs.
Besides that, he has also played for Arizona Cardinals and Houston Texans. Moreover, the Cardinals drafted him in the third round of the 2013 NFL Draft.
The footballer is a great player overall and played collegiate football for Louisiana State University. He had an incredible career with the LSU Tigers and received several honors and awards.
As a result, many experts even considered him a top prospect for the NFL draft. Not to mention, Tyrann won the Chuck Bednarik Award and was nominated to receive the Heisman Trophy in 2011.
Furthermore, the safety has had an equally outstanding career in the league. Mathieu has been named to the Pro Bowl twice and to the First-team All-Pro thrice.
Likewise, Tyrann is also the winner of the 2020 Super Bowl Championship with the Kansas City Chiefs. Similarly, he was named to the Second-team All-Pro in 2019 and PFWA All-Rookie Team in 2013.
The player recently tested positive for Covid but has recovered as of now. Currently, he is on his last season with the Chiefs as per his three-year contract.
Before getting into details about the NFL safety’s life and career, here are some quick facts about him.
Quick Facts
| Full Name | Tyrann Devine Mathieu |
| Birth Date | May 13, 1992 |
| Birth Place | New Orleans, Louisiana, the United States |
| Nick Name | the Honey Badger, the Landlord |
| Religion | Christian |
| Nationality | American |
| Ethnicity | African American |
| Education | Louisiana State University |
| Horoscope | Taurus |
| Father’s Name | Darrin Hayes (Biological), Tyrone Mathieu (Adoptive Father) |
| Mother’s Name | Tyra Mathieu (Biological), Shelia Mathieu (Adoptive Mother) |
| Siblings | Sister; Darrineka Mathieu |
| Age | 32 Years Old |
| Height | 5’9″ (1.75 m) |
| Weight | 190 lb (86 kg) |
| Hair Color | Brown |
| Eye Color | Brown |
| Build | Athletic |
| Profession | NFL Player |
| Current Team | Kansas City Chiefs |
| Position | Safety |
| Active Years | 2013 – Present |
| Marital Status | Engaged |
| Fiancé |
Sydni Paige |
| Kids | Two; Mila Jill Marie Mathieu and Tyrann Mathieu Jr. |
| Net Worth | Approx. $25 million |
| Social Media | Instagram, Twitter |
| Merchandise | NFL Trading Card, Jersey |
| Jersey Number | #32 |
| Last Updated | January, 2025 |
Tyrann Mathieu | Early Life, Family, and Education
Mathieu was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, the United States. His biological parents are Darrin Hayes and Shelia Mathieu.
His biological father has been an absent figure his entire life and is currently serving a life sentence for murder. Darrin was involved in a robbery and was in jail when Mathieu came into this world.
The same day he was released, Hayes fatally shot a person and was charged and later found guilty of second-degree murder. Nevertheless, the two are trying to build a relationship as of now.
Darrin has always been the first to wish Tyrann a happy birthday through a call from prison. Besides that, his birth mother abandoned him when he was very young, and he has barely heard from her ever since.
As a result, his grandparents took him in and raised him. Hence, the footballer struggled a lot while growing up.
Moreover, he grew up in a tough neighborhood that was filled with the wrong crowd and shootouts.
As a result, Mathieu has endured the deaths of several loved ones and has tattooed 22 crosses on his right knee to honor them.
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Adoptive Parents
Following his grandfather’s death, his uncle Tyrone Mathieu and aunt Sheila Mathieu adopted him and raised him. His aunt is also well known as a former Zulu queen.
A few years back, his adoptive mother, Sheila, was accused of being involved in a $30 million Medicare fraud scheme. She is a nurse who worked for a home health care company in New Orleans that acquired the money from Medicare fraudulently.
The nurse was charged with “one count of conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud and two counts of health care fraud.”
Sheila pleaded guilty to those charges and received one-year probation for her involvement in the scam.
Education
Aside from that, the athlete was considered an at-risk youth in school. Nonetheless, football kept his sanity intact throughout everything.
Likewise, his grandmother and Uncle Tyrann made sure he stuck to the sport. He played high school football for St. Augustine High School and was very popular because of his skills.
After a successful high school career, Louisiana State University recruited him. The athlete was an outstanding addition to the institute’s football program.
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Tyrann Mathieu | Age, Height, and Weight
The NFL safety was born on May 13, 1992, and is 32 years old as of January, 2025. As an athlete, Mathieu takes great care of his health and diet.
Hence, the Chiefs player is reasonably fit and has a toned physique. Besides that, he is 5 feet 9 inches (1.75 m) tall and weighs 190lb (86 kg).
Tyrann Mathieu | Football Career
High School and Collegiate Career
The Honey Badger played high school football with the St. Augustine Purple Knights. He made 32 tackles, five interceptions, one sack, and one fumble recovery as a senior.
While in high school, LSU offered Tyrann an athletic scholarship that he accepted and played collegiate football for the LSU Tigers. In his freshman year, he played all 13 games and started one of them.
Not to mention, he was named the Most Outstanding Defensive Player in the 2011 Cotton Bowl Classic. As a sophomore, the athlete continued to excel and was the Most Valuable Player in the 2011 SEC Championship Game.
Likewise, he also won the nation’s top defensive honor, the Chuck Bednarik Award. However, in October of 2011, he was suspended after he violated the University’s drug policy.
In his junior year, LSU head coach Les Miles revealed that Tyrann was dismissed from the LSU Tigers after failing to comply with the team’s rules. Shortly after that, several media outlets reported that his dismissal was related to several failed drug tests.
After that, Mathieu left LSU to join a drug rehabilitation program in Texas before enrolling for the fall semester. Although it seemed like the safety had his act together, he and few other former LSU athletes were arrested for possession of marijuana.
His arrest deeply affected him and his chances of being a round-1 pick in the NFL, and the footballer decided to turn his life around. The former Tigers performed exceptionally in the NFL Combine and LSU’s pro day.
After his performance, many experts and scouts predicted that he would either be a second or third-round pick. Eventually, the Arizona Cardinals picked him in the third round of the 2013 NFL Draft.
NFL Career
Arizona Cardinals drafted Mathiew into the NFL as the 69th pick overall. Shortly after, he signed a three-year contract with the team worth $3.05 million.
Moreover, in his rookie season, the safety made 65 solo tackles, nine pass deflections, and two interceptions. However, since he was injured as a rookie in a game against the Rams, he missed the training camp for the 2014 NFL season.
After recovery, he joined the Cardinals as a backup safety. But Mathieu suffered a thumb injury and had surgery that led him to miss two games.
Nevertheless, Tyrann was named the starting free safety the following season and made career-high two interceptions and his first career touchdown. His career was taking off when he faced another injury.
The athlete suffered a season-ending injury when he tore his right ACL. Moreover, he was named to his first Pro Bowl in 2015.
Likewise, the Associated Press named first-team All-Pro safety while his fellow athletes ranked him 28th on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2016.
After the 2015 season, the footballer signed a contract extension worth $62.5 million for five years.
In the 2016 season, the former Tigers player sustained a shoulder injury and was eventually placed on the injured list.
Although Tyrann’s contract extension bound him with the Cardinals for five years, he left them after the 2017 season as he disagreed with a pay cut.
Houston Texans and Kansas City Chiefs
After the Cardinals released him, the safety signed a one-year contract worth $7 million with the Texans. At the end of the season, Mathieu had made 89 combined tackles, three sacks, and two interceptions.
For the 2019 season, Tyrann signed a three-year contract worth $42 million with the Kansas City Chiefs. Moreover, he won the 2020 Super Bowl playoffs with the Chiefs.
Besides that, Tyrann was involved in a verbal altercation with the Bucs’ quarterback Tom Brady during the 2021 Super Bowl Championship. In a now-deleted tweet, the safety said that Tom called him something he would rather not repeat.
Recently, in 2021, the Honey Badger tested positive for Covid and was placed on the COVID-19 reserve list. Nevertheless, he has already recovered as of now and is back on the field.
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Achievements and Highlights
- 2020 Super Bowl Champion with the Kansas City Chiefs
- Three-time First-team All-Pro in 2015, 2019, and 2020
- Second-team All-Pro in 2019
- Two-time Pro Bowl in 2015 and 2020
- PFWA All-Rookie Team in 2013
- NFL 2010s All-Decade Team
- 2011 Heisman Trophy finalist
- SEC champion in 2011
- 2011 Chuck Bednarik Award receiver
- 2011 SEC Defensive Player of the Year
- Consensus All-American in 2011
- First-team All-SEC in 2011
Tyrann Mathieu | Girlfriend, Engagements, Wife, and Kids
Mathieu is engaged to his college sweetheart Sydni Paige Russell. The two met at Louisiana State University, where Paige was studying mass communication and journalism.
At the time, Russell was also working as a professional dancer for NBA teams. Initially, she worked for the New Orleans Hornets and then for the Phoenix Suns after transferring to Arizona State University.
Paige moved to Arizona with her boyfriend, who was drafted into the NFL by the Arizona Cardinals. She was later accepted into the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication and eventually graduated in 2015.
Currently, she is the owner of Jill Marie Baby Boutique, named after her late mother Jill and adorable daughter Mila Jill Marie.
Besides that, her stepfather, Todd Bowles, is also in the NFL and has served as the head coach of the New York Jet from 2015 to 2018.
As of now, Bowles is working as a defensive coordinator for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Not to mention, the athlete was also a defensive coordinator for the Arizona Cardinals during Tyrann’s rookie season.
Hence, the bonding between Mathieu and Russell’s family goes way back. The safety proposed Sydni in May of 2019 with a beautiful engagement ring.
Furthermore, the engaged couple is the parents of two beautiful kids Mila Jill Marie Mathieu and Tyrann Mathieu Junior. They reside in a lovely house in Kansas City.
Tyrann Mathieu | Net Worth, Salary, and Endorsements
The NFL athlete has earned most of his wealth through his career in the National Football League. Mathieu’s net worth is estimated at $25 million.
However, Tyrann’s career earnings through the NFL amount to $73,094,901. Moreover, his salary for the 2021 NFL season is $14,800,000.
Not to mention, he made over $11.4 million during the 2020 season. Likewise, the safety’s highest salary to date was with the Arizona Cardinals in the 2016 season when they paid him $16,671,407.
Since his contract with the Chiefs is coming to an end, many sources expect him to sign a hefty extension contract. Tyrann has built quite a reputation for himself quickly and is now a critical part of the Kansas City Chiefs.
Besides that, the footballer earns fairly well through endorsements and sponsorship deals.
Furthermore, he is the founder of the Tyrann Mathieu Foundation that works to financially support disadvantaged children and youth in Kansas City and his hometown New Orleans.
Tyrann Mathieu | Social Media Presence
The Chiefs’ safety is quite active on various social media platforms. He has an Instagram account with 1.7 million followers.
Mathieu mostly shares his life as a professional football player through his handle. He has shared few pictures of him on the field with his teammates.
Besides that, the father of two loves being a dad and has posted many of his beautiful moments with his kids. Moreover, he has shared a few pictures with his fiancé Sydni Paige.
Likewise, Tyrann loved his grandparents and has posted a few of their photos with the caption stating that he misses them every day and how they’re the reason for his strength.
Aside from that, the athlete is also active on Twitter and has garnered over 1.2 million followers. He usually tweets and shares NFL-related news, events, and highlights.
Since he frequently replies to his fans and followers, the Honey Badger is adored and appreciated.
Tyrann Mathieu | FAQs
Does Tyrann Mathieu have a brother?
No, the footballer does not have a brother. However, he has a sister named Darrineka Mathieu.
Why was Tyrann Mathieu dismissed from the LSU Tigers?
Mathieu was dismissed from the collegiate team for the 2012 season after he violated the team rules. He allegedly failed several drug tests, which resulted in him finally being discharged from the team.
Not to mention, the NFL player was also arrested for possession of marijuana a few months after his dismissal. He explained later on that he was contemplating suicide a lot after his arrest.
Does Tyrann Mathieu have a kid?
Yes, the footballer has two kids. He is a father to Tyrann Mathieu Jr. and Mila Jill Marie Mathieu.
