Kansas City Chiefs’ Tyrann Mathieu prefers to focus on football, not contract extension

No new contract extension, no problem — at least as far as Chiefs safety Tyrann Mathieu is concerned.

Mathieu said Wednesday after the Chiefs wrapped up their first full team practice of training camp that he’s not surprised or upset he hasn’t signed a new deal yet.

“Not disappointed at all,” Mathieu said. “I think most people that know me know I love to play football, so I have another chance to do that.

“It’s all about my teammates, it’s all about the guys around me and just me continuing to be the person I am, and not let anything outside of that kind of influence how I operate day to day.”

Mathieu is entering the final year of his contract, which pays a base salary of $14.5 million annually. But he emphasized that his current contract situation won’t become a distraction.

“I think most players would like to have thing done before they get to the season,” Mathieu said. “But, like I said, I’m all about ball. I love ball, so it’s important for me to kind of stay focused on that and let other things just handle themselves.”

Mathieu, who turned 29 in May, has done his part to earn a lucrative new contract since joining the Chiefs on a three-year deal in 2019.

Over the past two seasons, he has started 31 regular-season games and emerged as a clear leader on the field, earning two straight first-team All-Pro honors while helping the Chiefs win Super Bowl LIV.

A highly durable player, Mathieu’s six interceptions in 2020 led the Chiefs’ defense and he played on 100 percent of their defensive snaps in 12 of 15 games. In 2019, Mathieu made an immediate impact in KC, with 75 tackles, four interceptions and 12 passes defensed. His team-high 1,095 defensive snaps represent an incredible 97.8% of the Chiefs’ defensive total.

The statistics support a new deal for Mathieu, who said during the offseason that he wants to remain in Kansas City. He has faith a deal will eventually get done.

“He knows,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said after Wednesday’s practice. “He said it when he came here — ‘I just want to play’ — and that’s where he’s at. He loves it here; he just wants to play.”

Chiefs chairman and CEO Clark Hunt agreed.

“Tyrann is the ultimate professional and really has been his entire career in the league, and definitely in his couple of years here with us,” Hunt said. “I know he’s going to be at his very best this year.

“I’ve heard Tyrann say he wants to extend his career in Kansas City, and we feel the same way about that. Hopefully, that will work out. The timing is obviously uncertain.”