Tom Brady says he won’t lose track of Kansas City Chiefs’ Tyrann Mathieu in Super Bowl
While meeting Monday with reporters, Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady didn’t need to look at a stat sheet when he rattled off one statistic of interest.
Seven interceptions.
That’s how many Chiefs safety Tyrann Mathieu has had this season, and it includes one in the playoffs.
So Brady has been paying attention to Mathieu, and that will continue Sunday in Super Bowl LV.
“He’s just one of those incredibly talented players that can really do it all,” Brady said. “And I think you definitely as a quarterback better be aware of where he’s at, or else he’ll change the game. And I really love him as a player. I think he’s got great ball-hawking ability. He seems like he’s always coming up with the biggest plays in the biggest moments.
“He’s got seven interceptions this year. So you better believe I’ll have an idea of where he’s at on every play. Because I’m not gonna let him just roam around and make a bunch of plays. I’m sure he’ll make his fair share, but hopefully I can keep the ball out of his hands.”
Brady failed to do that when the Chiefs beat the Buccaneers 27-24 on Nov. 29. That’s when Mathieu had his third interception of the season.
As someone who is known for his preparation, Brady has a great respect for Mathieu.
“Great leader, loves football, is a student of the game,” Brady said. “I can tell he watches a lot of film. He’s in on the quarterback. He wants to know what that quarterback’s doing. And there’s a lot of versatility. He played corner in college, played safety, played nickel so he can cover guys, he can cover tight ends, he can cover receivers, can blitz.”
Another person Brady knows all-too well is Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo, who was the Giants defensive coordinator in 2007.
That season ended with New York defeating Brady and the Patriots in Super Bowl XLII, ending New England’s chance at a perfect season.
Brady jokingly called that game “one of my least favorite football memories.”
But he has great respect for Spagnuolo.
“I think Spags runs a great scheme and I think he really caters to the strength of his players,” Brady said. “And I think his schemes evolved different times and I’ve played him several times over the last, I don’t know, 13, 14 years. I think he’s a tremendous coach. And everyone seems to love to play for him.
“It’s a tough game, so I know he’s going to have those guys ready to go there. They’ll be prepared. They’ve got a lot of great players on that defense, a lot of veterans, a lot of guys who really understand football. Obviously, the moment’s not too big for those guys. You know they’ve been on the biggest stage last year and they played a great game and beat the Niners to win last year Super Bowl. So It’s going to be pretty tough and we’ll be up for the challenge. It’s going to be a great game. I look forward to it.”
This story was originally published February 1, 2021 at 12:41 PM.
