Bruce Arians has provided further evidence to suggest All-Pro defensive back Tyrann Mathieu was released in March for scheme rather than performance reasons.
Appearing on Thursday's edition of NFL Up to the Minute, NFL Network's James Palmer relayed Arians' emphatic endorsement of Mathieu, a particular favorite of the former Cardinals coach.
Before the Texans signed Mathieu, Palmer reported, Houston coach Bill O'Brien called Arians for background on the free-agent safety.
"Arians told O'Brien that 'I would stand 10 times on a table for Tyrann Mathieu,'" Palmer said. "That meant a lot to Bill O'Brien. He met with Mathieu, saw what Arians was saying and that played a big part in bringing (Mathieu) to Houston."
Mathieu was slow to return to form following his second ACL tear, late in 2015. Although his playmaking ability was noticeably missing early last season, the "Honey Badger" flashed vintage form down the stretch.
Just as Arians' comments alleviated O'Brien's concerns, they also serve as reason for Texans fans to believe their team got a steal in signing Mathieu to a one-year contract worth up to $7 million.