Tag: Tyrann Mathieu Chiefs

Three Former LSU players make NFL Pro Bowl

A trio of former LSU Tigers are heading to the Pro Bowl.

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The NFL announced their Pro Bowl roster, and three former LSU Tigers players made the cut. Ja’Marr Chase, Justin Jefferson, and Tyrann Mathieu made the roster.

Chase played for LSU for two years and was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals. Many people were worried about Chase in the preseason because he dropped a couple of passes. However, once the regular season started, he showed what he could do on the field. So far this season Chase caught 61 passes for 1,038 yards and ten touchdowns. He is also averaging 17 yards per catch. Many people wondered if the Bengals were making the right pick with Chase, and as of right now, it was the right choice.

Since being drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in 2020, Jefferson has caught 177 passes for 2,735 yards and 16 touchdowns. This will be Jefferson’s second Pro Bowl; he made it last year as a rookie; Jefferson is quickly becoming one of the best receivers in the NFL. So far this season, Jefferson has 89 catches, 1,335, and nine touchdowns.

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After being dismissed at LSU in 2012, Mathieu has made a name for himself in the NFL. This will be Mathieu’s third time in the Pro Bowl. Mathieu has complied 46 tackles, one sack, five passes defended, two interceptions, and one touchdown. Mathieu is a crucial piece to the Kansas City Chiefs defense.

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Tyrann Mathieu may have to write $1 million check to LSU

Former LSU football defensive back Tyrann Mathieu might have to get his checkbook ready very soon.

Former LSU football defensive back Tyrann Mathieu might have to get his checkbook ready very soon.

Come December, he’s most likely going to have to write a check for one million dollars to the Tigers football team.

Mathieu recently tweeted that he’ll donate another million to LSU if cornerback Derek Stingley Jr wins the Jim Thorpe Award or the Heisman Trophy this season.

“Duh he’s no. 7. If he win Thorpe or Heisman, I’ll donate another million to LSU.” He said via a tweet.

Tyrann Mathieu will probably have to put his money where his mouth is.

Stingley might not win the Heisman Trophy, as a defensive player hasn’t won the award since Charles Woodson in 1997. The Jim Thorpe award, however, is a different story entirely. The Thorpe Award is awarded annually to the nation’s best defensive back, and Stingley will absolutely be in the conversation for that title throughout the entire season.

As a true freshman, Derek Stingley Jr. was the best defensive back in the entire country. All he’s done since arriving at LSU is continue to get better, on and off the football field.

The excitement around Stingley this season is real, and many believe he will be up for the challenge.

Ex-LSU safety Tyrann Mathieu named NFL’s best slot defender

How does Mathieu compare to other players on the defensive side of the ball?

Safety Tyrann Mathieu, better known by LSU football fans as the “Honey Badger,” posted a respectable career in Baton Rouge and has gone on to do the same in the NFL.

In fact, he’s currently one of the best defensive players in the league, according to Touchdown Wire’s Doug Farrar, who recently released his rankings of best slot defenders.

Mathieu ranked first on the list, ahead of the San Francisco 49ers’ K’Waun Williams.

 “I believe Mathieu should have been named the NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year,” he wrote. “No disrespect to Patriots cornerback Stephon Gilmore, who won the award, but Mathieu did his work at a ridiculously high level everywhere on the field — 92 snaps on the defensive line, 388 in the box, 31 at wide cornerback, 205 at free safety, and 561 in the slot. When he was in the slot, there was no more effective defender in the league last season. Mathieu allowed 42 slot receptions on 61 targets for just 297 yards, 174 yards after the catch, one touchdown, two interceptions, and an opponent passer rating of 69.1.”

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In 2019, Mathieu posted 71 tackles, 59 solo, two sacks, 12 passes defensed and four interceptions as the Kansas City Chiefs made it all the way to Super Bowl LIV, where they defeated the San Francisco 49ers, 31-20.

Over his NFL career, Mathieu has recorded 457 tackles, 401 solo, nine sacks, 61 passes defensed and 17 interceptions along with one touchdown.

So, how does Mathieu function at such a high level? Farrar has the explanation.

“He has somehow managed to combine the ideal traits for multiple positions — he has the quickness to excel in the slot, the range to play two-deep safety, the aggressiveness to face up to the run in the box, and his diagnostic abilities make him nightmare fuel for receivers all over the field. If you want to see the ideal slot guy — not to mention the best five-tool pass-defender in the game — look no further than the Honey Badger.”

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