The New Orleans Saints are working towards an improved showing for the 2024-25 season after failing to make the 2023-24 NFL Playoffs. The Saints are returning several stout contributors, including former LSU football star Tyrann Mathieu, also known as the “Honey Badger.” Mathieu posted a bold social media response to those who have doubted him after his two “down season” with New Orleans.
Mathieu noted two stats categories that he had top-five rankings in during the 2023 season. He ranked second in fewest target EPA allowed (-37.0) and fourth in ball hawk rate (25 percent), per NFL Next Gen Stats.
Then, Mathieu gave a stern message to his doubters:
“Tyrann Mathieu living off name but every time someone post a list I’m usually on it, if you a hater just say that,” Mathieu wrote on X, formerly Twitter. “And for the record my down season will get some dudes paid 40 million!! Stay dangerous! & yes the last two seasons for me have been fairly disappointing from my standards but yall can’t take my job, it’s why I’ll play long as I want!”
The former LSU football star is coming off a season where he totaled 75 tackles, 16 fewer than he did in 2022. Nevertheless, he still amassed four interceptions, which ranked him seventh in the NFL. Mathieu still has plenty left to give to the Saints defense. 2024 could be one of the best of his career.
Saints still working on players' contracts
Tyrann Mathieu signed a two-year extension with New Orleans in March of 2024. Yet, one veteran who is still searching for an extension with the Saints is Alvin Kamara. Kamara reported to 2024 training camp in a move that surprised some fans given, his contract negotiations. However, the 29-year-old remained mature about the situation, saying his teammates had nothing to do with conversations with upper management.
Furthermore, Kamara revealed he wanted to finish his career with the Saints:
“I want to be a Saint; I want to retire here. If I’ve got to play football somewhere else, I’ll probably be somewhere with my feet kicked up in Africa somewhere. I want to be a Saint. I’m not asking for nothing crazy where it’s like, ‘Oh my gosh, we can’t do that.’ That’s my perception of it. Whatever the perception of it is upstairs (in the front office) with whoever makes those decisions is obviously different than what my perception of it is. So, you know, we just carry on. I’ve got to do what I do, and I’ll focus on what I’ve got to do,” Kamara said, via Nola.com.
It will be interesting to how things play out between Kamar and the Saints before the 2024 season.
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