When the Chiefs play the Saints on Monday night, quarterback Patrick Mahomes and the offense will line up against former Kansas City safety Tyrann Mathieu for the first time.

Mathieu signed with the Chiefs as a free agent in 2019 and became one of the pieces that pushed Kansas City to win Super Bowl LIV that season. He was a first-team All-Pro in two of his three years with the Chiefs before they let him walk in free agency, and he signed with New Orleans.

Both head coach Andy Reid and Mahomes praised Mathieu in their respective press conferences on Thursday.

“Phenomenal player,” Reid said. “I’ll vote for him for the Hall of Fame going forward — I don’t have a vote but I would vote for him. He’s a tremendous leader. He actually makes this his home here, so I think when he’s done, he’ll probably come back here. Great kid, great player, brings a lot of energy.”

“[J]ust seeing that type of leader, I think, was something that I will forever remember,” Mahomes said. “The way he inspired guys, the energy that he played with — obviously, he is a great football player — everybody can see that — but he is truly a great leader, one of the best leaders I’ve ever been around. He pushed to get the best out of everybody every single day, he treated practice like games, he tried to get better every single day, and that’s something that has helped me become who I am.

“A great football player, man. I’m hoping that he gets out there, not for me and my sake because he’s a great football player and always around the ball, but I think Kansas City getting to see him come back and be on that field again would be special for the city.”

Mahomes noted that Mathieu’s influence was particularly helpful for him as a young player. The quarterback was in just his third season and second as a starter when Kansas City signed Mathieu.

“I watched him when he was in college and he dominated college football, and then getting into the NFL, and all the great plays that he had made, and then being able to see him on a day-to-day basis — you want to see those guys that are the top of the top and how they prepare every single day,” Mahomes said. “And he was one of those guys that you knew why he was great when you saw him practice and how he went about his business.”

Mathieu started 47 games with the Chiefs over three seasons, recording 13 interceptions with 27 passes defensed and 3.0 sacks.

So far in 2024, Mathieu has three passes defensed with two interceptions, along with a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.