Could Tyrann Mathieu Win the Super Bowl 54 MVP?

As a big proponent of the Chiefs in Super Bowl 2020, I’ve been dabbling around with a few wagers based on the foundation that Kansas City is going to win the game. For example, betting on Tyreek Hill to win the Super Bowl MVP was something that intrigued me, and of course, backing the Chiefs quarterback is one of the best Patrick Mahomes prop bets you can get your hands on.

However, for those of you looking for some mega upside, why not bet on Tyrann Mathieu to win the Super Bowl MVP?

The “Honey Badger” has been Kansas City’s most consistent and productive defender all season long, and I firmly believe the Chiefs will be Super Bowl 54 champions. So you could do a lot worse than placing a wager on Mathieu to emerge with the second-most coveted trophy in this game.

I’m here to tell you why Tyrann Mathieu is a good bet to win the Super Bowl MVP.

How good is Tyrann Mathieu at tracking the ball out of the quarterback’s hand?

Just ask opposing offensive coordinators who have been subjected to Tyrann’s ritual of staring them down after he makes a big play. Mathieu points at the decal on his helmet and taps it with his finger as if he’s trying to tell the play-caller he’s always one step ahead.

Actually, that’s exactly what he’s doing. The Chiefs strong safety was asked on Wednesday about this particular post-play mannerism and offered the following response.

Steve Spagnuolo gives Tyrann free reign to roam the secondary, and then Mathieu’s instincts simply take over.

The innate ability Mathieu possesses to sniff out a play before it develops is what makes him one of the most elite safeties in the National Football League. However, the way he applies his knowledge and converts it into making plays all over the field is what’s going to allow him to prevail in the Super Bowl.

Not only did Tyrann lead Kansas City in interceptions and pass deflections during the regular season, but he also led them in solo tackles and finished second in tackles for loss. That means he can wreak havoc in the back level of the defense as well as pierce the line of scrimmage and make plays in the backfield.

Kyle Shanahan is going to do his best to develop a game plan that can sustain drives, but there’s not much you can scheme up to detain Tyrann Mathieu from being a serious factor.

Two of the last six Super Bowl MVPs were linebackers, and we’ve seen 10 defenders win the award since 1971. I know there’s a lot of talk about Nick Bosa and the San Francisco defense leading up to the Super Bowl, but there’s only one defensive player in Super Bowl 54 who was selected to the All-Pro First-Team in 2019.

Looking back at past Super Bowl MVPs who were recognized as defensive All-Pro First-Team members that season, Ray Lewis and Von Miller immediately come to mind.

Betting on Tyrann Mathieu to win the Super MVP isn’t the only way to cash in on the Honey Badger on Sunday. As Noah Davis pointed out in his 10 best player props post, a bet that Mathieu records more than 5.5 tackles has Kansas City fans salivating.

Nevertheless, if Tyrann ends up being honored as the Super Bowl’s Most Valuable Player, you could be in store for a huge payday.

Even though he’s listed in the +5000 range at most Super Bowl betting sites, he’s available at +6600 if you head to Bovada. Perhaps you should lock that number in now before you do anything else because that price has already dropped from +7000.