Honey Badger NFL: Why is Tyrann Mathieu called ‘Honey Badger’ and how he helped Chiefs beat the Texans

Tyrann Mathieu wreaked havoc for the Texans’ offense with constant onslaught of pressure to unknowing wide receivers and Deshaun Watson.

Why is Tyrann Mathieu called ‘Honey Badger’?

Tyrann Devine Mathieu is a safety for the Kansas City Chiefs. He earned the nickname “The Honey Badger” in college because he had a reputation of forcing turnovers. He created an SEC record with 11 career forced fumbles at his time playing for LSU. During his time there, he earned several awards: All- American recognition, the Chuck Bednarik Award, and a finalist of the Heisman trophy.

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However, he was dismissed from the LSU football program due to team violation rules. He entered the NFL draft in 2012 and was selected 69th overall by the Arizona Cardinals. In 2015, he was selected as a Pro Bowler and earned first- team All Pro. He has also played for the Houston Texans.

In-Game Stats: Chiefs vs. Texans (Week 1)

Mathieu has hit the ground running to start off the 2020 season. In the debut game of the season versus the Texans, the safety put up good numbers across the defensive board.

The Honey Badger created 6 solo tackles for himself with 2 tackle assists. While these numbers do not show the full potential of Mathieu, it shows what he’s capable of. He also pressured his former teammate, Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson, to throw an interception in the beginning of the fourth quarter.

Predictions for Week 2

The Chiefs will be playing against the Chargers on September 20th. With Mathieu covering the deep end, who knows what mischief he’ll cause with Tyrod Taylor. He has already shown what he’s capable of against the Chargers with 8 tackles and an interception in 2019’s matchup.