Tyrann Mathieu Posts 'Victory Monday' Photos After Saints Beat Bryce Young, Panthers

The New Orleans Saints opened the 2024 season with a massive 47-10 win over the Carolina Panthers on Sunday, and star safety Tyrann Mathieu—who registered four tackles, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery—was loving that start to the campaign.

The 32-year-old has become a fixture for the Saints in recent years, appearing in all 17 games in 2022 while accumulating 91 tackles (three for loss), three interceptions, one sack, one forced fumble, a fumble recovery and eight passes defensed.

Sam Monson of Pro Football Focus graded him as the 60th best player in the NFL after that campaign, writing that the "New Orleans defense underachieved in 2022, but there were impressive individual performances within the unit, and Tyrann Mathieu was one of them."

He added that Mathieu "lined up all over the Saints' secondary."

That versatility has always made the veteran defensive back valuable. The three-time Pro Bowler and three-time first-team All-Pro selection has spent time with the Arizona Cardinals (2013-17), Houston Texans (2018), Kansas City Chiefs (2019-21) and the Saints.

His ability to play in coverage or closer to the line of scrimmage—and as both a cornerback or safety—has made him one of the unique talents in the defensive backfield during his career.

He again played in all 17 games in the 2023 season, finishing with 75 tackles, four interceptions, nine passes defensed and a defensive touchdown, remaining a hugely important playmaker for the New Orleans defense.

And he again cracked PFF's top 101 list, this time at No. 70 after notching a 87.4 PFF coverage grade.

Mathieu is one of a kind, and he was clearly savoring the Saints' season-opening win on Monday.