NFL Rumors: Tyrann Mathieu to be ready for Arizona Cardinals season opener?

When the Arizona Cardinals open their season on Monday Night Football against the San Diego Chargers, they’re likely to have Tyrann Mathieu available.

That’s the word of Cardinals general manager Steve Keim who during an appearance on SiriusXM Radio said he believed the talented defender would possible be ready come Week 1.

“We think there’s a chance that he’ll be back by the beginning of the season,” Keim said. “He has been a gym rat. He’s in here all the time. We have to kick him out of the building and tell him ‘Tyrann, go home for a little bit. He’s always in the training room doing his rehab.”

It’s certainly a positive sign as Mathieu, who is recovering from a devastating ACL and LCL tear, was told earlier this week he likely wouldn’t be ready for action come training camp.

But doubting Mathieu has only made the safety work harder and he appears likely to be ready come the Cardinals season opener, barring any type of significant setback.

“I told him, ‘Ty, don’t listen to anybody because nobody can tell you and pinpoint the exact return date. That’s up to you,'” Keim said. “And he’s a machine. He’s the kind of guy that I really think can come back a lot earlier than people anticipated.”