FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Saturday, November 14th, 2015
“FOOTBALL NIGHT IN AMERICA” SPOTLIGHTS RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ARIZONA CARDINALS TEAMMATES PATRICK PETERSON AND TYRANN MATHIEU
“I’ve been real fortunate to have a guy like Patrick in my life.” – Tyrann Mathieu on Peterson’s influence
“I said, ‘I’m going to do everything I can to get you on the Arizona Cardinals.’” – Peterson to Mathieu
Football Night In America to Analyze Seattle Seahawks’ Season To Date
STAMFORD, Conn. – November 14, 2015 – Sunday night’s Week 10 edition of NBC’s Football Night In America, the most-watched weekly studio show in sports, shines a spotlight on the close relationship between Arizona Cardinals CB Patrick Peterson and S Tyrann Mathieu, and analyzes the Seattle Seahawks’ performance at the mid-point of the 2015 season. Football Night will also preview NBC’s Sunday Night Football matchup between the Cardinals and Seahawks, and will include highlights, analysis and reaction to earlier Week 10 games.
In Sunday’s edition, Mathieu, also known as ‘The Honey Badger,’ discusses how Peterson took him under his wing while they were teammates at LSU. Mathieu was a Heisman Trophy candidate following his sophomore season in 2011, but was dismissed from LSU three weeks before his junior season for failing a drug test. The feature highlights Mathieu’s path to the NFL, and the crucial Peterson’s guidance played in his success and growth both on and off the field.
Below are excerpts from Football Night’s feature on Peterson and Mathieu. If used, please note the mandatory credit: “In an exclusive interview airing Sunday night on Football Night in America.”
Mathieu on his lack of confidence early in his player career: “When I first met Pat, he knew he wanted to be a Top 5 pick. He knew he wanted to be a Pro Bowl player. With the things I’ve experience in my life…those things were too good to be true. Thinking back on it, I just didn’t believe in myself.”
Mathieu on moving in with Peterson’s parents in Florida following dismissal from LSU: “(Peterson) actually had a plan for me. I went down to Florida with his parents, and the rest is history. I haven’t looked back since then.”
Peterson: “When he went down to Florida (to train for the NFL Draft), I said, ‘I’m going to do everything I can to get you on the Arizona Cardinals.’ He’s a game-changer.”
Mathieu: “We all grow up and want to be somebody, but we never meet those people that we want to be like. I’m very fortunate because the person I want to be like is right there. He’s a phone call away, and it’s something I don’t take for granted.”
***
Football Night airs each Sunday at 7 p.m. ET on NBC, with Costas hosting the program live from inside the stadium. He will be joined on site by Sunday Night Football analyst Cris Collinsworth, sideline reporter Michele Tafoya, and NBC NFL analyst Hines Ward.
Dan Patrick co-hosts Football Night from NBC Sports Group’s Studio 1 in Stamford, Conn., and is joined by Super Bowl-winning head coach Tony Dungy; two-time Super Bowl winner Rodney Harrison; Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk on NBCSports.com and NBCSN, and NFL insider Peter King. Carolyn Manno will report from MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N. J., on the Patriots-Giants game.
–FOOTBALL NIGHT IN AMERICA–
