Tyrann Mathieu reveals touching story on what wearing No. 7 jersey at LSU meant to him

Tyrann Mathieu knows how special it is to wear the No. 7 jersey on the LSU football team.

Without Tyrann Mathieu, the No. 7 jersey tradition within the LSU football program does not become what it is today.

With defensive back Derek Stingley Jr. being the latest Bayou Bengal to get the Lucky No. 7, Mathieu reflected on Twitter on how important that jersey number meant to him. He said he wore it to honor his former college teammate Patrick Peterson, who declared for the 2011 NFL Draft. Mathieu wore it with pride and had a sensational sophomore season for the 2011 Tigers that fall.

The No. 7 jersey may be commonplace at DB U, but the number runs much deep than that at LSU.

LSU football: Tyrann Mathieu reflects on the importance of the No. 7 jersey

Any LSU football player that wears the No. 7 has to be a beast on the field. What that is your jersey number, you have to go out there and perform like the best player on a championship team. With Mathieu wearing the jersey to honor Peterson in 2011, the number began to take on a life of its own at LSU. Tigers stars like D.J. Chark, Grant Delpit and Leonard Fournette have all worn it.

Stingley has the potential to be a top-five pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, maybe even go No. 1 overall if no quarterback in this draft class rises to the occasion. He is a transcendent talent in the backfield like Peterson and Mathieu were before him. However, LSU is not contending for an SEC West crown if they play like they did a season ago on both sides of the ball. They have to step up.

It is amazing the legacy Peterson and Mathieu have left on the LSU football program years later.

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