This story is based on an interview with Kandra Mathieu, 27, from New Orleans. She is married to retired NFL player Tyrann Mathieu, 34. The conversation has been edited for length and clarity.
My mom was always a die-hard fan of the New Orleans Saints. And when I first started dating my now-husband, Tyrann, nicknamed “The Honey Badger,” she despaired of me.
It’s a running joke that she said, “I wish you had my brain,” because I had no idea about football, which she lives and breathes.
I understand the gist now, but the logistics go completely over my head. I’m clueless if anybody asks me to explain the rules.
Still, I knew enough about the Saints to recognize Tyrann when we first met by chance at a clothing store in the fall of 2022.
We had a lot in common
Being from the city, you know the pillars of New Orleans. We struck up a conversation, and he asked how I was doing. There was a bit of polite back-and-forth, and he ended up taking my phone and tapping in his number.
At first, it was texting and a few phone calls, and then he asked me out to dinner.
We had a lot in common because we were both raised in New Orleans, in the same area. Our relatives lived one or two streets apart, although our paths didn’t cross. It was probably due to the age difference.
Tyrann was dedicated to his sport
Tyrann didn’t force football on me, but we watched a few games together at the beginning of our relationship. I asked him if it bothered him that I knew absolutely nothing about it.
He said he thought it was cool because he could help explain it to me. Maybe he found it refreshing.
It didn’t take long for me to realize his commitment. We’d go to a restaurant at 6 p.m. so he could be home early to mentally prepare for the game the following night.
His diet was strict, and he’d eat carefully portioned potatoes, asparagus, and a steak. It was great to see the dedication he put into his sport.
I ran track, but it’s such an individual activity compared to being on a team. You have to wake up every day wanting to win, not for yourself, but for everyone else, too.
The atmosphere inside the stadium was always great when I watched Tyrann play before his retirement in July 2025. I really enjoyed the camaraderie.
People have asked if I minded fans interrupting us by coming up to him for autographs and photos. I loved their passion. I was always the first person to say, “You want a picture? Let me take it.”
Still, it was stressful being in the crowd and worrying he might get injured. He got a concussion in January 2025. He’d previously been concussed, but he’d always been allowed back on the field.
He retired from the NFL at 33
This time was different, and he had to be taken off. You go to cheer your loved one, but it’s your worst fear that they will get hurt. Seeing them being carried off on a stretcher is something I never want to witness again. Thankfully, Tyrann was OK.
He decided to retire from football at 33, about a week after our daughter was born last year. He said he thought he’d been doing it for long enough.
He’d mentioned it to me a few times, but like the fans, I was genuinely taken aback when he went through with it.
It’s touching to read all the posts on social media asking him to return to the Saints. Fans from his previous teams will say things like, “We miss you and need you again.”
Tyrann and I laugh that his retirement has turned us into recluses — in a good way. We’ve slowed down and spent a lot of time chilling at home with the children.
Our days revolve around each other. We watch a lot of black-and-white movies and TV shows.
Neither of us knew how to cook, so we’re learning together. We try to make traditional New Orleans meals, such as red beans and rice, chicken and gravy.
I’m building my social media
We haven’t tried gumbo yet — that’s a little overzealous for us — and focus on small dishes.
Other times, we go for walks in the grounds of our house. There’s a swamp and a dock, and it’s beautiful to explore the greenery with the kids.
Meanwhile, I’m building my Instagram. I studied aesthetics, which inspired me to appreciate style and beauty. It’s only for fun at the moment, but I’m looking forward to where it might lead.
I’m in a place of rediscovery, letting people see me for who I am rather than as the wife of someone everybody knows.
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