I don't have anything against the 'Honey Badger.' It's just that 'Honey Badger' happened at such a dark time in my life. If the little kids out there want to call me the 'Honey Badger,' they can do that.
— Tyrann Mathieu
I take the good; I take the bad. I don't outweigh them. I just try to balance it all.
I'm trying to reach out for help as much as I can. That's why I got into a rehab program. That's why I get counseling. That's why I have a sponsor.
It's about gaining that confidence back in myself. Believing in myself more than others may believe.
I want to be a great teammate, and I want to be the same leader on the field that I know I can be off the field.
Going to school is cool, being accountable is cool, being responsible is cool. Those things are the cool things to do.
I don't think I can go back to New Orleans. I don't think that's possible.
A lot of guys, they feed off me… I'm extremely prideful in what I do. I think a lot of guys take heed of that. They look up to that.
I want to be present for my kids, and my biological father wasn't present for me.
I don't have any bad vibes with LSU. I learned so much there. I experienced so much there. I had so much fun. I met great people.
I would never twerk, no. Ever.
Trust takes time, especially when you've done a lot of things for people not to trust you.
I like Kanye and Kendrick Lamar.
I grew up listening to the Hot Boys, with Lil Wayne and all those guys.
You will never see Lil Wayne in New Orleans. You will never see those type of guys in New Orleans because the hate and the jealousy is that real and it's that overwhelming.
I want to start a foundation called Second Chance. I was given a second chance, so I want to reach out to different groups of people. It would be nice to give that opportunity to others.
But, most of the time it takes people to hit rock bottom for them to start believing in themselves, and start seeking help.
I moved to Humble under really unfortunate circumstances obviously, Hurricane Katrina, so our family was displaced here for four months. Humble was a home for us.
I didn't really like playing free safety. I didn't like being in the middle of the field.
There's not many people that I can't relate to and can't share experiences with.
I'm the best player in the world. That's how I feel.
I think a lot of people would probably assume that I had a bad relationship with LSU, and I don't think that was ever the case.
I try to speak from a place of understanding and most times I'm speaking from a place of experience.
I want to… help the young guys, help my teammates, help everybody be confident and make everybody feel like they're special.
I've always been quiet, for the most part, especially any time I've come into a new environment.
Life is funny and weird.
I think me, as a leader, as a guy that's been cut, been humiliated, embarrassed, whatever you put on it, I think it's important just to embrace the guys around you, really support them, encourage them and then kinda give them that confidence. Let them know that you believe in them, and hopefully they'll get to believing in themselves.
I've got a variety of things I like to listen to. I like R&B. I like Chris Brown. I like Nas. I like Jay Z. Rick Ross. Kanye West. I try to mix it up.
I'm adopted by my uncle and aunt, who I look to as my parents and people who really did everything they could to put me on the right path. I'm really grateful to them.
I guess I did go through my phase where I wanted to be a rapper. I made music, but I was never really good at it.
Walking alone, just thinking - that's treatment, man. That's the most comforting rehab I've known.
The violence in New Orleans is erupting and it's continuing to grow at an alarming rate.
Most people try to isolate themselves and pretend like things are all good when a lot of times, that's not how it is.
I do know that it takes a lot to look in that mirror and fix yourself.
Ultimately you play the game to be the champion, to be remembered.
At LSU, I was a true leader. I know I made some mistakes, but I think I was a leader for my teammates.
Any time I'm healthy I feel like I'm the best defensive player in the NFL.
I just want to prove my point that I'm one of the best safeties in this league.
I've always been a player that could do a lot of different things.
New Orleans is a great place, a place of celebration. But on the other hand, there's a reality to it, there's violence, there's misguided youth.
I want to be the same guy I am in the weight room that I am on the football field.
The people of Arizona, they've been very warm and welcoming.
I'm always thankful for the stuff I went through and thankful for the people I've met, and I'm thankful even for some of the bad times because all of it helps get you to wherever you are in your life.
But, yeah, I definitely want to get a Cardinals tattoo.
I like chillin' by the pool.
You gotta have faith. You gotta keep your head up.
The best show I went to was probably Curren$y. I went to see him when I was at LSU. He's a mellow rapper, but he has a way with crowds and his fans follow him wherever he goes.
I know what it's like to be humiliated.
I'm not one of those guys who gets stronger in the weight room.
The tough part is when someone asks you to take a pay cut. I don't think that makes sense for a lot of players.
