Kansas City Chiefs’ #32 Helping Youth Become #1

Tyrann Mathieu exercises his body through football but exercises his heart by giving selflessly to others.

While Kansas City Chiefs Safety Tyrann Mathieu is well on his way to achieving his NFL dreams, he is not one to steal the spotlight. Instead, he defers to his heart’s true desire to help others reach their dreams through his organization, the Tyrann Mathieu Foundation. Created to help improve the lives of financially disadvantaged children and youth, this organization provides opportunities, resources and encouragement to help young people achieve their own dreams here in the metro area as well as in Mathieu’s hometown of New Orleans.

Inspired by his own history of being blessed by those who gave him a hand up when he needed it, Tyrann built this foundation on a platform of sincere gratitude for his blessings and his drive to continually pay that forward.

“I always told myself if I was ever able to give back to people, I would. I have always been that way with family and friends, even when I didn’t have any money,” reflected Mathieu, who noted he was blessed to have great people come into his life when he was younger who encouraged him, supported him and believed in him.

Just as he gives his all on the field, Mathieu gives his all to his foundation. Raising funds to sustain his mission is an integral part of his overall game plan. This past November was the inaugural Celebrity Waiters Dinner held at the Westin Kansas City at Crown Center. This celebratory event included a fun-filled evening of dinner, drinks, dancing and both a live and silent auction. Plus, guests enjoyed being served by some of their favorite Kansas City Chiefs players.

“I am grateful to the board (of the organization) for making this happen,” expressed Mathieu. “Although I have only been in Kansas City for about six months, it was exciting to see this all come together and it was great to have the team come out and be guest waiters.”

Due to the success of the dinner, Mathieu hopes to make it an annual event. But the action didn’t stop there. Without missing a beat, Mathieu was on hand for his annual “Tyrann’s Turkeys” just a couple of weeks later. Partnering with True Faith Outreach Ministries in Kansas City, Mathieu was on hand to pass out 320 turkeys (in honor of his number 32) to needy families.

“It is important to me that these deserving families get what they need for the holidays,” he reflected. The community food bank Harvesters worked with Mathieu and the church for the event.

As Thanksgiving gave way to the merriment of Christmas, Mathieu still maintained his usual velocity by surprising some local families with gifts to help them celebrate the season.

“It’s just something I like to do,” he said.

Although Mathieu came to Kansas City to play football, his reach continues to extend far beyond the gridiron. While fans always enjoy cheering him on, he wants to leave an even greater impact beyond Arrowhead Stadium.

“Whatever I do here in Kansas City with the foundation stays here in Kansas City,” he emphasized. “All proceeds and funds raised stay with the programs here.”

To that end, Mathieu anticipates more fundraisers and charitable endeavors in the future. He hopes to speak at local schools through his “Liv3 2 Lead” program, encouraging students to achieve academic excellence, developing personal skills and making positive life choices. This past August, he was on hand at Dick’s Sporting Goods as part of “Tyrann’s Backpack Giveaway,” distributing backpacks filled with supplies to provide kids with what they needed to help them continue to focus on their education.

Although making headlining plays on the field comes naturally to Mathieu, it is the genuine and selfless giving to others that is also an incredible instinct for this player, graced with the heart of a true champion.

Healthy Kansas City is excited to announce we will be visiting with Mathieu in our sister publication, Kansas City Homes & Style, this summer to kick off the 2020 season of the Kansas City Chiefs. Be sure to check back in with us at that time to read the exclusive feature taking you inside Tyrann’s home. 

For more information on the Tyrann Mathieu Foundation, go online at tyrannmathieu.org. If you are interested in donating your time or your resources, check the events listed on the site or click on the donation tab.