Arizona Cardinals’ Tyrann Mathieu named NFC Defensive Player of the Month
Dec 3, 2015, 8:40 AM
Arizona Cardinals free safety Tyrann Mathieu is tackled by Seattle Seahawks tight end Jimmy Graham after he intercepted a pass during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 15, 2015, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)
(AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)
Arizona Cardinals safety Tyrann Mathieu was named the NFC Defensive Player of the Month for November Thursday.
The third-year safety out of LSU helped the Cardinals go undefeated for the month, and has been a big part of the team’s 9-2 start to the 2015 campaign.
In four November contests, Mathieu registered 27 total tackles, one tackle for loss, two interceptions and five passes defensed.
For the season, Mathieu is second on the team with 70 total tackles and is tied for the team lead with four interceptions, including one returned for a touchdown in a 47-7 win over the San Francisco 49ers in Week 3.
It is Mathieu’s first career selection as the NFC Defensive Player of the Month and it’s only the second time a Cardinals player has won the award. Safety Kwamie Lassiter did so in 2001. Since the inception of the monthly awards in 1986, the Cardinals have also had two players win the offensive honor (Neil Lomax in October 1988 and Boomer Esiason in November of 1996) and three special teams players (Neil Rackers in October and December of 2005, Patrick Peterson in November 2011 and Justin Bethel in December of 2014).
