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"Honey Badger" Officially Retires After Saints Eliminated

The New Orleans Saints have just been officially eliminated from playoff contention. But an even bigger shock came from behind the scenes: a defensive icon has quietly decided to retire, just days after the crushing loss.

Saints safety Tyrann 'Honey Badger' Mathieu retires after 12 NFL seasons |  AP News

While the Louisiana franchise struggles to regain its identity, a former NFL superstar, once known as the "Honey Badger" of defense, walked away in silence. No flashy press conference. No emotional farewell video. Just a short announcement on the team's website. Enough to make fans pause and reread.

Appearing on Up & Adams with Kay Adams, he left the door open for a possible return. "You just want to help your friends fight, you know what I mean?" But the timing sparked serious debate. Was this a heartfelt decision or a strategic escape from a sinking ship?

Saints' Week 1 loss wasn't without encouraging signs for rookie coach Kellen  Moore | WGNO

"We don't need players who walk away when things get tough."
Coach Kellen Moore said bluntly when asked about the midseason retirement.

And then, the name dropped.
Tyrann Devine Mathieu. The man once feared across the league as the Honey Badger.

Mathieu, 33, born in New Orleans, was a hometown hero. After 12 intense NFL seasons, peaking with a Super Bowl LIV win with the Kansas City Chiefs and a three-year return home to play for the Saints, he officially retired in August 2025. However, shortly after the Saints' elimination, he appeared on TV, openly hinting at a return with the Chiefs.

Tyrann Mathieu Biography: Age, Net Worth, Career, Family, Wiki - Mabumbe

"I'm not going to say no. Coach Reid's grandson plays with my son. It's all family," Mathieu revealed, highlighting his close ties with Coach Andy Reid and General Manager Brett Veach.

But his timing sparked controversy. Should a leader abandon ship when the crew needs him most?

On the social media platform X, formerly Twitter, fans had mixed reactions. Some supported his graceful exit. But many argued that the Honey Badger lost his bite right when his teammates needed his fire.

Chiefs Cheerleader Sues Team Player for Sexual Harassment by Flirting with Her While Already Married
The entire Kansas City Chiefs Kingdom is in TOTAL SHOCK right now! One of the most stunning and popular members of the Chiefs Cheerleaders squad, the gorgeous Madelyn (a 4-year veteran and social media darling), has just filed a bombshell 27-page lawsuit against a current Chiefs player for relentless sexual harassment, even though he’s been married with a toddler at home! According to court documents obtained exclusively by our team, the nightmare started at the beginning of the 2025 season. At first it was “innocent” Instagram DMs like “You looked unreal on the field today” and “I couldn’t take my eyes off you,” but things quickly turned creepy and obsessive. The player Madelyn is suing? None other than tight end Noah Gray – the 26-year-old backup who’s been married since 2023 to his college sweetheart and has an 18-month-old daughter. Madelyn states in the lawsuit: Noah Gray slid into her DMs and texted her between 1–3 a.m. multiple nights per week, even when she left him on read Sent shirtless locker-room selfies with captions like “Is this your type?” 😳 Waited for her after cheer practice to end just to “invite her to late-night dinner – just the two of us” (she always said no) Started randomly showing up at charity events she attended as a Chiefs Cheerleader representative and taking photos of her without permission In her own words: “I just want to do my job and cheer for the Chiefs in peace. I’ve told him clearly I’m not interested, but he won’t stop. The middle-of-the-night calls terrify me, I can’t sleep, and it’s destroying my mental health.” Latest updates: Chiefs management has launched an immediate internal investigation and has banned Noah Gray from any contact with the cheerleading squad Sources say Noah’s wife “lost it” when she saw the messages and is now talking divorce Chiefs Kingdom is split – some guys say “it’s just flirting,” but the vast majority (especially female fans) are 100% Team Madelyn and demanding he be cut from the roster #JusticeForMadelyn and #ChiefsScandal are already trending with over 2 MILLION posts in the last 24 hours! Will Noah Gray get released before the next game? Will the Chiefs get hit with massive NFL fines? Is this the biggest sex scandal in franchise history? Stay glued – we’ll bring you every juicy update the second it drops! 🔥🏈 Whose side are you on – Madelyn or Noah? Drop your thoughts in the comments and share this article if you think married men harassing women at work is COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE! 👇