The Kansas City Chiefs got a great update on Tyrann Mathieu ahead of their Week 1 matchup against the Cleveland Browns.
Mathieu contracted COVID-19 despite being vaccinated against the virus, meaning he had to be away from the team for at least 10 days. Several negative tests later, and Mathieu has been activated from the COVID-19 list, and may even be ready to play against the Browns come Sunday.
Chiefs’ S Tyrann Mathieu activated from the COVID-19 list.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) September 11, 2021
FanSided’s own Matt Verderame reported that Mathieu would likely be ready to go, assuming he passed the necessary protocols.
My understanding is Chiefs safety Tyrann Mathieu is vaccinated.
— Matt Verderame (@MattVerderame) September 1, 2021
This would be mean he's eligible to return to team once he records consecutive negative COVID tests if asymptomatic
The Chiefs are favored to beat the Browns at home to open the season.
Chiefs: Tyrann Mathieu entering a big season
Mathieu is entering a contract year, meaning he’ll have extra motivation all season for a Chiefs team forever on the precipice of Super Bowl contention.
The 29-year-old has hinted all offseason that he’s unhappy with the lack of contract discussions, as playing on a one-year deal isn’t necessarily beneficial for either side. For Mathieu, risking injury doesn’t make one feel comfortable on such a short-term guarantee. Meanwhile, for the Chiefs, if Mathieu were to ball out and earn more money in the long-term, Brett Veach will have forfeited cap flexibility.
Either way, Mathieu playing Week 1 is beneficial for both sides.