Countdown to Kickoff: Profile on Arizona Cardinals DB No. 32 Tyrann Mathieu

The NFL Spin Zone ‘Countdown to Kickoff’ series continues with 32 days until kickoff, profiling Arizona Cardinals defensive back No. 32, Tyrann Mathieu.

Today is August 7, 2016, which means there are exactly 32 days until the NFL season kicks off.

As we wait for the two teams to kickoff the NFL season, the team at NFL Spin Zone has decided to profile a player whose number is associated with the amount of days until that first kickoff.

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With that in mind, there are 32 days until football, so I will profile Arizona Cardinals defensive back, No. 32 Tyrann Mathieu.

For Mathieu, his road to the NFL was bumpy.

As a standout at LSU, Mathieu received the nickname “Honey Badger” for his aggressive play and fearless ability. Mathieu was a fierce competitor and was always giving 100% on the field, however off the field was a different story.

After repeated abuse of substances, ESPN reported that LSU had kicked him off of their football team. Mathieu had failed a bunch of drug tests, which really hurt his draft stock heading into the 2013 NFL Draft. If it weren’t for his off-field issues, Mathieu would have been a first round draft pick, but the drug abuse dropped him to the third round (69th overall).

Many did not know what to expect of Mathieu in the NFL, mainly because they did not know if he would be able to turn his life around off the field in order to play at his elite level on it.

Mathieu proved any doubters wrong.

In his three seasons in the NFL, Mathieu has never failed a drug test and his willingness to change off the field has made him even better on it.

Mathieu was a dominant college football player and he is exactly that and then some in the NFL. Through three seasons, Mathieu has eight career interceptions and an impressive 182 tackles. Along with those numbers, Mathieu has two career sacks and forced fumbles.

Last season, Pro Football Focus had Mathieu ranked as the best corner in the entire NFL when he had a career high five interceptions and 80 tackles. Mathieu had a dominant season, earning Pro Bowl honors and being named first-team All-Pro, however it was cut short due to a torn ACL in Week 15 against the Philadelphia Eagles. It was a devastating blow of the Cardinals and Mathieu, but it is just another bump in the road for the former LSU Tiger.

Mathieu started the season on the Physically Unable to Perform list (PUP list), but according to the Honey Badger:

Mathieu will be back once he is healthy enough, but he will also be back in 2016 with a brand new contract. The Cardinals announced on Twitter that the two sides agreed to a new deal.

https://twitter.com/AZCardinals/status/760946869560147969

Mathieu is the definition of someone who has been through struggles, but worked through them to make him a better person. The stories of his life will allow him to help others down the road and show that a few bumps in the road wont stop you from reaching you destination.

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Their may be more bumps in the road for Mathieu, however he knows the destination he is trying to reach.

Heading into the new season healthy with a new deal, No. 32 is ready to once again show he is one of the best defensive players in the NFL, on and off of the field.