Tyrann Mathieu was once the most exciting player in college football, but his promising career went downhill quickly after he was kicked off LSU’s football team following a series of positive drug tests. Mathieu decided to remain at LSU rather than transfer to another school. His plan was to rejoin LSU’s team next season, but those plans were derailed by an October marijuana arrest. He announced a month later that he would enter the 2013 NFL draft.
In an interview with ESPN on Saturday, Mathieu finally came clean about his problems. His admissions are part of an effort to show NFL teams and fans that he has matured.
During the interview, Mathieu talked about the moment when he decided he wanted to change his life.
“Sitting in that jail cell, it clicked,” Mathieu told Joe Schad. “Looking at those people, just staring at me. ‘You don’t belong in here.’ They wanted to come through the jail cell and get me. I’m scared now. Because it’s reality now. I don’t ever want to feel like this again. I’m not going to feel like this again.”
Mathieu says he abused himself by using marijuana too frequently.
“I’d tell the world I abused myself though marijuana,” Mathieu said. “I abused myself through marijuana. Was I addicted to it? Maybe. Did I form a habit of it? Yes. When people didn’t think I had a good game or I didn’t have the greatest practice ever, I didn’t go into the office and try to figure out what was going on. I just automatically abused myself.”
The good news is that Mathieu, who is trying to rebuild his draft stock, says he has quit.
“I’ve stopped,” said Mathieu.
He then told Schad how he controls himself.
“It’s a mind thing. It’s a mind thing. The rehab I’ve been to, the counseling I’ve been to, my mama and daddy jumping down my throat, Coach Miles popping by my apartment, none of that could stop me if I didn’t want to stop. If I didn’t want happiness for myself, nobody else can want it for me.”
Mathieu has been training in Florida with Patrick Peterson Sr. and plans to go to Arizona to work out with former LSU cornerback and current Cardinals star Patrick Peterson Jr. The 20-year-old believes his story will be full of redemption and success in the NFL. He has been projected as a mid-round pick.
