Tyrann Mathieu Jokes He Was Cut and Still Got a 93 Rating in Madden NFL 19

The Arizona Cardinals might be regretting their decision to release Tyrann Mathieu after EA Sports unveiled the player ratings for Madden NFL 19.

With a 93 overall rating, Mathieu is set to be the fifth-best safety in the game when it launches Aug. 10. Mathieu, who signed a one-year, $7 million deal with the Houston Texans, made light of the situation:

Granted, the Cardinals didn't cut Mathieu purely for performance reasons. The team approached him this spring about taking a pay cut. Had he remained on the roster beyond March 14, he would've essentially collected $19 million guaranteed between 2018 and 2019.

The Cardinals' loss was the Texans' gain, and they'll have one of the more imposing secondaries in Madden NFL 19. Along with Mathieu, Houston boasts strong safety Andre Hal and cornerback Johnathan Joseph, who are rated at 87 and 85 overall, respectively.