In the early part of the offseason, both safety Tyrann Mathieu and the Chiefs expressed interest in continuing to work together but their relationship has come to an end.
Mathieu became a free agent last month and remains unsigned after the Chiefs opted to add safety Justin Reid on a three-year, $31.5 million deal. In an interview with Sam McDowell of the Kansas City Star, Mathieu said he was “heartbroken” that the Chiefs didn’t offer him a contract and “could not understand” why that was the case.
Mathieu also said that he would have likely accepted the same offer that the Chiefs made to Reid.
“To be honest, if they would’ve offered me Justin Reid’s deal, obviously I would’ve tried to negotiate, but if that’s where they drew their line in the sand, I probably would’ve took it,” Mathieu said. “I probably would’ve took it. Agents are going to do their thing, but at the end of the day, it’s the player’s decision whether to sign it or not.”
Mathieu had meetings with the Saints and Eagles recently, so he may be closing in on new home for the 2022 season. That won’t be the happy ending he would have drawn up a few months ago, but he’ll have the chance to make a new one wherever he winds up playing.