Tyrann Mathieu focuses on health, not contract as Cardinals open training camp

GLENDALE, Ariz. – How long Arizona Cardinals safety Tyrann Mathieu remains on the physically unable to perform list will be one of the more discussed topics during training camp.

The good news is that his stay on the sidelines is expected to be a short one.

“If I had to guess, I’d probably be practicing in three or so weeks,” he said Thursday, following the traditional camp-opening run test in which he was a spectator.

On the sidelines is where Mathieu has been since late December, when he tore the ACL in his right knee in Philadelphia. The injury not only cost Mathieu the remainder of the season but an opportunity at helping his teammates try to reach the Super Bowl.

Those efforts failed, leaving the Cardinals motivated for the start of 2016.

Mathieu, just as motivated, is determined to be on the field Week 1 against New England.

“I feel good,” he said. “I’m probably in the best shape of my life, although I’m coming off an injury. I’m really optimistic going forward.”

The Cardinals do as well. At the same time, however, they’ll be cautious with Mathieu.

“He’s worked real hard. Again, we’re not going to push it,” head coach Bruce Arians said. “We’ll make sure that he’s more than ready before we put him back out there.”

Mathieu, too, is taking a cautious approach.

Though Mathieu appears to be well ahead of schedule — “Yeah, I can do all those things,” he said when asked about his lateral movement, including cutting — there’s no need for him to rush back given his importance to the defense and the team as a whole.

“I could probably go out there right now and run around and do drills and stuff like that, but like I said, I want to be confident that I am who I am. I don’t want to go out there and put anything on tape that’s not reflective of my type of player,” he said.

That’s a lesson Mathieu said he learned after his first knee injury.

Three years ago as a rookie, Mathieu tore his left ACL as well as LCL — a much more significant injury than what Mathieu is rehabbing now.

“I don’t think it’s going to take me as long once I get back practicing, get back in the rhythm of things. I don’t think it’s going to take me as long to get that confidence and to ultimately be 100 percent,” he said, adding that he’s ready for the mental challenges as well. “I’ve been through a lot in my life, so I just take kind of take everything as it come. I don’t try to let nothing define me. This is one of those situations where I just try to push through it, work through it, take as much advice as I can and just continue to try to uplift myself and keep myself in good spirits.”

One subject Mathieu did not wish to discuss was his contract status. It’s long been reported that his agent and the Cardinals have been in engaged in negotiations.

Mathieu, 24, is entering the final year of his rookie deal.

“I’ve been trying not to focus on that part. My biggest concern is being healthy, being Tyrann Mathieu on the football field, so that’s my focus,” he said.

Mathieu, however, admitted it’s been hard not to think about a possible extension.

“Obviously, that’s a lot of money,” he said, laughing.

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