NFL coaches have laser-like focus, so it’s hard for them to notice anything outside their scope of responsibility during football season.
But back in 2011, it was impossible for Saints coach Sean Payton – or anyone in Louisiana, really -- to ignore Tyrann Mathieu, the fearsome LSU defensive back with the streak of bleached hair and the ‘Honey Badger’ moniker.
“We don’t get to see a ton of college games, but he was like lore down here,” Payton said.
There’s always been a natural magnetism to the personality and play of Mathieu.