Dec 29, 2024; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Saints safety Tyrann Mathieu (32) reacts to a play against the Las Vegas Raiders during the second half at Caesars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

Former Saints safety Tyrann Mathieu deletes recent cryptic post that revealed he may have been frustrated right before retiring from NFL

Originally posted on A to Z Sports | By Adam Holt | Last updated Sep 22, 2025 3:41 PM ET

Social media is a place where athletes garner plenty of attention. For the New Orleans Saints, Michael Thomas has been a pillar for the "former players commenting on current affairs" portion of Twitter/X. Now, a former defensive star is making waves across the platform, too.

Tyrann Mathieu's cryptic post goes viral during Saints' blowout loss

Via Twitter/X, a post from former Saints safety Tyrann Mathieu got some buzz during the Saints' embarrassing Week 3 loss to the Seahawks. Mathieu said, "Can't Blame Me now", - seemingly a nod to how he felt he was being treated at some point in New Orleans. It is unknown how Mathieu's exit from the team truly went down, but now, plenty of people believe that the new Saints staff pushed him out the door a bit to usher in younger players on defense.

aye man lmaoooo pic.twitter.com/fhchPphrAE
— mr. roboto (@kevinterstellar) September 21, 2025

Mathieu's post will probably never be explained. We m ay learn the true reasoning for his surprising departure at the start of Saints training camp, but there is plenty of writing on the wall.

There is certainly a scenario where Brandon Staley's new defensive staff felt it was best for the team in the long run to see younger players in larger roles. At the same time, it could have been mutual where Mathieu understood the state of the roster and where the team was headed this season. Both would make some sense, and it could be a blend of those factors that led to his retirement.

Regardless, that won't stop people from wondering. The Saints looked lifeless and unprepared in Week 3, and the task doesn't get any easier with the Buffalo Bills own their schedule in Week 4.

Again, we may never find out everything about the end of Honey Badger's career in black and gold, but Mathieu could be a former player who reveals some of those details down the road. He was a beloved player for the Saints and will always be an LSU legend as well.

The city will always appreciate him, and he never showed anything but love for Saints fans, too.

This article first appeared on A to Z Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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