Kansas City Chiefs safety Tyrann Mathieu is using pandemic to continually sharpen skills
Tyrann Mathieu doesn’t want the Kansas City Chiefs' defense to settle for just one Super Bowl ring.
The Chiefs were 16th overall in total defense under defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo's first year with the Chiefs in their championship season. Mathieu and the rest of the Chiefs’ defensive leadership strive to take the group a step further.
“There’s little things that we could’ve gotten better at,” Mathieu told reporters in a press conference on Friday. “We’re not necessarily patting ourselves on the back because we won a championship. I think we understand in order to do it again, our ego to win in the future, we’re going to have to play possessively so teams can start [to] scheme us and start to really strategize how to beat us.”
Preparation for the upcoming season has been a little different due to the ban of in-person meetings due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The defense agrees on common concepts and goals but has been limited to a certain extent.
“I think the biggest difference meeting virtually with coach Spags and [defensive backs] coach [Dave] Merritt is they’re just so hands-on,” Mathieu said. “They’re just not able to do that. There’s just so much Spags can do. I think it’s kind of driving him crazy, but he’s making it work.”
Mathieu recognizes he had individual flaws throughout 2019. He said his dropped interceptions were among the issues. Mathieu has spent the offseason focused on overcoming weaknesses with the help of his iPad. The process changed from previous years with the addition of film breakdown of safeties and cornerbacks from around the league.
“At times my technique can start to slip because I’m all over the place, so I think it’s good to kind of watch other guys play certain positions,” Mathieu said. "Guys like Chris Harris Jr., [Richard] Sherman, Patrick Peterson, Kevin Byard, Derwin James. I watch these guys’ film and we’re all different, but I try to take something from that. I think that’s where I’m at this offseason.”
The defense lost linebacker Reggie Ragland and cornerback Kendall Fuller in free agency and could be without defensive tackle Chris Jones, if he is traded or decides to hold out without a long-term contract.
Mathieu spoke highly of Jones and said that players are rooting for him to return.
“I think it’s just important for him to just understand where he’s at in this situation and understand that you got a lot of teammates that want them to pay you,” Mathieu said. “They’re really rooting for him, man. As long as he can be the same guy with great energy, he’s a great teammate, as long as he’s able to still do that, I’m sure something will work out for him.”
The deadline to sign Jones to a long-term contract is July 15.
