In a week when the start of NFL training camps steals the most headlines, there has been other important news around the league, with several players deciding to call it a career. In fact, multiple Super Bowl champions with the Kansas City Chiefs have announced their retirements, with one of them hanging up his cleats at Patrick Mahomes‘ age.
Wide receiver Richie James, who earned a ring for the Chiefs’ Super Bowl LVIII win, decided to step away from the gridiron at 29. Unlike his former teammate, Mahomes plans to continue playing for much longer at the same age.
James wasn’t the only Super Bowl champion with the Chiefs who recently retired from football, though. On Tuesday, safety Tyrann Mathieu announced he’s not coming back for the 2025 NFL season.
The New Orleans Saints, his team for the last three seasons, shared his decision in an announcement that immediately went viral. Mahomes was among the most prominent names reacting to the news, heaping the ultimate praise on Mathieu.
“Congrats to my Man! @Mathieu_Era one of the best to ever do it!,” Mahomes wrote on his X (formerly known as Twitter) account.
Mathieu’s Super Bowl win with Mahomes’ Chiefs
Mathieu, who turned 33 in May, is retiring from the NFL after 12 eventful seasons. His time in the league included a Super Bowl triumph with the Chiefs, playing an important role in Mahomes’ first ring.
With six combined tackles (four solo), Mathieu helped the Chiefs take down the San Francisco 49ers 31–20 in Super Bowl LIV in Miami. That earned him recognition from his colleagues, whose vote saw the safety finish 39th on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2020.
The end of an incredible career
“As I hang up my cleats, I’m filled with a gratitude as I close this chapter of my life and officially retire from the game that’s shaped me in every way,” Mathieu wrote on Instagram Tuesday. “From my first snap in college to my final play in the NFL, this journey has been nothing short of a blessing. Football gave me purpose, discipline, and memories that will stay with me forever. But more than anything, it gave me a community.”
Originally selected by Arizona in the third round (69th overall) of the 2013 NFL Draft out of LSU, Mathieu suited up for the Cardinals (2013-17), Houston Texans (2018), Chiefs (2019-21) and Saints (2022-24) as a pro.
He’s leaving the NFL with 171 starts in 180 regular season appearances, boasting impressive stats under his belt—834 tackles (681 solo), 11 sacks, 36 interceptions returned for 530 yards, four brought back for touchdowns, 106 pass breakups, seven forced fumbles, and eight fumble recoveries. But of course, the highlight of his career was the Super Bowl triumph with Mahomes’ Chiefs.