Kansas City safety Tyrann Mathieu is on the hot seat for Super Bowl LV because he’s the key to stopping Tampa Bay quarterback Tom Brady.
Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnoulo, who beat Brady with his fearless pass rushers when he was with the New York Giants in Super Bowl XLII, has a chess piece in Mathieu that he can move around the field.
“I really think that’s always the challenge, but I think any time you step on the field, you just got to put it in your mind that everybody’s out to get you, and you got to stand up for yourself and make a play for your team,” Mathieu said.
In the regular-season meeting, the Chiefs raced to a 27-10 lead and won 27-24. They are not expecting to have the same early cushion.
“We understand the kind of team we’re playing and understand what kind of challenge we (have) in front of us,” Mathieu said.
Mathieu is aware of Spagnuolo’s history with Brady.
“He’s one of the greatest teachers I’ve been around,” Mathieu said. “So detailed, so informative. Not only are you going to know what you’re doing, but you’re also going to know why you’re doing it.”
Mathieu enjoys the freedom he has to roam within the scheme.
“For me it doesn’t necessarily matter what role I’m playing in defense whether its man or robber. For me it’s all about the guys around me,” Mathieu said. “How can I get those guys to play hard, to play better, to communicate more because I think we’re all able to do that. I think we’re all able to play fast, play with our eyes, use our instincts and really make plays on the back end.”
Falcons’ 2021 draft position:
NFL Network’s Bucky Brooks released his Mock Draft 1.0 and has the Falcons selecting BYU quarterback Zach Wilson. He has Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields going second overall to the New York Jets.
Bucky’s picks
1. Jacksonville Jaguars - Trevor Lawrence, QB, Clemson
2. New York Jets - Justin Fields, QB, Ohio State
3. Miami Dolphins (via Houston) - Ja’Marr Chase, WR, LSU
4. Falcons - Zach Wilson, QB, BYU
5. Cincinnati Bengals - Penei Sewell, OT, Oregon
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