The Arizona Cardinals have released safety Tyrann Mathieu, the team announced Wednesday.
The 25-year-old Mathieu was the Cardinals' third-round pick in the 2013 NFL Draft. He was a Pro Bowl and first-team All-Pro selection in 2015, but injuries have limited his time on the field. He played in all 16 games for the Cardinals last season for the first time in his five-year pro career.
Mathieu had reportedly been asked to take a pay cut by the Cardinals, something Mathieu was reportedly resistant to doing. He was scheduled to make $19 million over the next two seasons. "Taking money out of my pocket, I don't like how that feels," Mathieu reportedly said last week.
Newly released #AZCardinals CB Tyrann Mathieu messaged me: "I'm ready for the new challenge! Ready to take my spot as top DB. Fresh starts are good!"
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 14, 2018
"I've never made a secret that Tyrann has always had a special place in my heart and always will," Cardinals general manager Steve Keim said in a statement. "While we all understand this apart of the business, that certainly doesn't make it any easier. We all wish Tyrann nothing but continued success in his career and beyond."
