Tyrann Mathieu Talks Joining Texans, Leaving Cardinals in Players' Tribune

Tyrann Mathieu said he was "hurt" by the Arizona Cardinals' decision to release him in March, but he explained how deciding to join the Houston Texans in free agency completed a "full-circle experience."

On Thursday, Mathieu posted an essay on The Players' Tribune about the offseason whirlwind that ended with him signing a one-year, $7 million contract with the Texans.

"I'm not gonna lie: After the Cardinals let me go, of course I was kind of hurt," he wrote. "But at the same time, it was also pretty dope to see J.J. Watt openly recruiting me to play on his team. I wasn't super highly rated coming out of high school, so I'd never really experienced what it was like to have a lot of people openly lobbying for me to play for them. I let myself enjoy that."

The 25-year-old LSU product grew up in New Orleans, but his family moved to an apartment in Houston in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. He discussed how the city "embraced us" and noted it's "gratifying to be able to return to Houston on my own terms in a completely different state of mind."

He also expounded on the football reasons behind his choice to sign with Houston in the Players' Tribune piece.

"It gave me an opportunity to be closer to home, with a new perspective on life," he wrote. "But even just from a straight football perspective, the Texans had the best defense in football two years ago. When everyone on their roster is healthy, there's no reason this team can't have the best defense again."

Adding Mathieu will provide a major boost in the effort to return the defense to the league's elite.

Honey Badger racked up 78 combined tackles, seven passes defended, two interceptions and a forced fumble while playing all 16 regular-season games for the Cardinals last season.

He also brings valuable versatility with the ability to play safety or corner depending on the situation.

Mathieu figures to receive most of his playing time at strong safety as part of a star-studded defense that also features Watt and Jadeveon Clowney.