| Tyrann Mathieu saw you celebrating his homecoming, and he's all for it. He knows that celebration is woven into the fabric of this city. But he wants to get something across. “I think a lot of people should be happy that I’m coming home, but I want them to understand that I’m not about to set up a tent and throw a picnic," Mathieu said. "I’ve still got a lot of work to do, you know what I mean? It’s going to be a tall task trying to help the community and reshape how kids think. It’s going to take a lot of me.” I spoke with Mathieu after he signed with the Saints last week, and our conversation centered on his relationship with his hometown — the forces within it that made him into the person he is today, why he's kept it at an arm's length in the past and why he's excited to return now. From a football standpoint, Mathieu makes all the sense in the world for the Saints. But from a personal standpoint, New Orleans had to make sense for Mathieu, too. We dove into that topic, and some of those closest to Mathieu offered some insight as well. I came away from those conversations with this understanding: Mathieu knew he needed to put time and distance between himself and New Orleans, but he is mature and self-assured enough now to know he can play an active role in making his community a better place. I hope you enjoy this piece about Mathieu, and the reason he's excited for the future of New Orleans. Things are mostly quiet on the Saints front, but stay tuned for what should be a busy week. The NFL will release its full 2022 schedule Thursday night, and the Saints rookie class will be out at the team facility on Airline Drive this week. And, who knows ... maybe the Saints aren't done signing notable veteran free agents. We'll be on top of it all. Thanks for reading, thanks for supporting. Cheers, Luke Johnson | 
