An NFL star was caught berating his opponents during a game on Sunday – and later admitted it after the tirade was wrongly attributed to another player.
A hot mic during the FOX broadcast of the Saints-Giants game picked up New Orleans’ Tyrann Mathieu talking trash to New York, saying, “You guys are playing like I’m not there.”
However, fans on social media initially claimed that the voice in the video was the Giants’ Malik Nabers, making Mathieu clear online.
“That was actually me,” he wrote on X.
Mathieu, a three-time All-Pro cornerback, recorded one tackle in the game as the Giants’ passing attack struggled to get going.
Drew Lock averaged just 4.6 yards per attempt (227 yards on 49 attempts) and threw an interception as the Giants fell to 2-11 on the year.
Tyrann Mathieu (seen last month) took credit for the vulgar rant that was captured on a hot mic
Mathieu and the Saints defense kept the Giants passing attack in check at MetLife Stadium
The fiery 32-year-old Mathieu, who became nationally known as “The Honey Badger” while starring for LSU in college, is no stranger to trash talk.
He and Tom Brady were seen verbally sparring in Super Bowl LV before the Bucs eventually won 31-9 against Mathieu’s Chiefs.
Mathieu did win a ring with the franchise in the 2019 season.
The defensive back is in his 12th NFL season and his third with the Saints.