Kansas City Chiefs safety Tyrann Mathieu appeared with The Ringer’s Kyle Brandt on his “10 Questions with Kyle Brandt” show released on Wednesday.
Like most player interviews taking place in this unique year, their hour-long conversation touched on the ongoing coronavirus pandemic and its effect on the NFL.
“I think this is one of those moments you got to obviously put your faith in God, but you also got to trust people who are qualified to do their jobs,” said Mathieu. “Whether that be the training staff, the medical staff, different people under the NFL… I think all these people could help us if they’re provided the right resources.
“I think that’s the most important thing. If we know we have the right resources available for us, then we know we can go to work comfortable each and every day. And, I think as long as I can understand that, I think that can ease my mind as I work and as I’m around my teammates.”
Mathieu also reflected on his rapid rise to fame as “The Honey Badger.”
“To be honest, I really couldn’t handle it,” recalled Mathieu. “It really became overwhelming for me. I couldn’t really prioritize fame — whereas before, I thought I had it all together. Then, in comes this fame, but I thought that it taught me a lot of lessons.
“Yeah, it was tough getting kicked out of LSU and having those experiences, but I’m grateful for it. I was 19 years old and I was able to have that experience. I thought it really put me on the path that I am on today.
“For a moment there, I thought I was the Honey Badger. All day, every day. I thought that’s who I was — and that was never my heart. That was never my intentions. I definitely don’t play for fame. I always play for my teammates. I always play to be a part of a family.”
But Mathieu — by his words and actions — has many times made it clear that in the Chiefs, he believes he has found the right family. And one of his brothers definitely has his admiration.
“[Tyreek Hill] is next-level-alien fast,” he told Brandt. “I’ve played with all of them. I’ve played with Odell [Beckham Jr.]. I’ve played with John Brown, J.J. Nelson. 4.2 [40-yard-dash] guys. [Hill] is different, man. And what a lot of people I don’t think give him credit for is he’s a good wide receiver. He’s pretty crafty.
“Now, a lot of times, his routes take him downtown. He’s not really able to show off what he can do as far as his craft, but to be able to watch him last year, even go up against him in one-on-one, he’s getting better at understanding how to play wide receiver; it’s not just about him using his speed.
“So, it’s going to be fun to kind of see him continue to develop into an elite wide receiver. I totally believe that he can be a consistent top-three receiver in this league. But, yeah, he’s probably the fastest guy I’ve ever been around.”
The full interview is definitely worth your time; watch it above or click here, and be sure to follow Brandt’s podcast, “10 Questions With” on Spotify.