Four years ago, in mid-August 2012, I wrote that the Mathieu mirage was too good to be true.
Tyrann Mathieu, Heisman Trophy finalist the season prior, had just been booted from the LSU program, leaving in his wake a steady stream of football addicts yearning for his unique Honey Badger game.
I was one of them.
I’d never seen a player like him before, and I’m not sure I have since on the collegiate level. Despite his size limitations, Mathieu dwarfed the game, making inconceivable impacts on defense and special teams.
And I wasn’t convinced I’d ever see it again.
Well, thankfully I have, and so too, America, as Mathieu is a force to be reckoned with and still one of the most dangerous, instinctive defensive backs in his sport, now plying his trade with the Arizona Cardinals.
With the news that Mathieu and the Cardinals have agreed in principle to an historic extension, Bumper to Bumper Sports reflected Tuesday on Mathieu’s long climb over a not-so-long period of time.
-Ben Love