Chiefs’ Tyrann Mathieu shares story of making Philip Rivers regret his trash-talking
A year ago, the Chiefs upgraded their defense with a pair of splashy moves.
They signed free-agent defensive back Tyrann Mathieu to a three-year $42 million deal and gave defensive lineman Frank Clark a five-year, $105.5 million contract after acquiring him in a trade with the Seahawks.
Former Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers was well-aware of those deals when he played the Chiefs last fall, as Mathieu recounted in Monday story with Kay Adams of the NFL Network. Unfortunately for Rivers, his trash-talking backfired.
“I think they were on the 10-yard line, they were like going in the end zone, and Rivers, he’s not in the huddle, but he’s kind of like standing off to the side. He’s looking at me and Frank Clark, and he’s like ‘Hey, Frank Clark! Hey 32! They gave you all all that money, when are you guys going to make a play?’” Mathieu told Adams.
“It just so happens that come back next series and I picked him off, so that was pretty cool.”
I’m not sure in which Chiefs-Chargers game the exchange took place because Mathieu intercepted Rivers in both contests in 2019.
But the Chiefs won’t have Rivers to kick around anymore.
Rivers signed a free-agent deal with the Colts earlier this year, so he’s out of the AFC West. Mathieu said he likes Rivers.
“I’m gonna miss him,” Mathieu said. “He’s just so funny, man, and he means no harm and you know that, but somehow he still finds a way to kind of get under your skin. He’s a good guy at heart, but he’s pretty hilarious on the field, especially because he doesn’t use any foul words.”
Here’s Mathieu talking with Adams:
