Tyrann Mathieu Apologizes After Saying Chiefs May Have 'One of The Most Toxic Fan Bases'

After back-to-back appearances in the Super Bowl and winning in 2020, Kansas City sits third in the AFC West with a 3–4 record.

After back-to-back appearances in the Super Bowl and winning in 2020, Kansas City sits third in the AFC West with a 3–4 record. The team's performance has left some fans frustrated. 

Fans took to social media to voice their displeasure, and Tyrann Mathieu and Anthony Hitchens wrote comments on an Instagram post from a Chiefs fan account saying fans need to be more appreciative given what the team has accomplished in recent seasons. 

“This might be one of the most toxic fan bases in all of sports,” Mathieu wrote on his verified Instagram account.

The post called for fans to rank three contract moves from Chiefs General Manager Brett Veach "in terms of how bad they were"—Frank Clark, Hitchens and "passing on Jonathan Taylor, D'Andre Swift, Cam Akers, J.K Dobbins, and Antonio Gibson for Clyde Edwards-Helaire."

Hitchens commented under the post, “All we did was go to 3 AFC championship games and 2 Super Bowls and 1 SB win in my first 3 years here so far. Y’all fans will never be satisfied it’s sad!”

The two Kansas City players then took it a step further, replying under a few fans' comments. One account suggested Mathieu would play somewhere else next season, to which the safety replied, "somebody gon pay me. I’m too smart & im too good!”

Another fan wrote, “you’re paid millions of dollars to play a game,” and Mathieu retorted, “you should have been a football player then.”

Mathieu later apologized for his comments and said they were "a mistake on my part," per ESPN.

"I haven't had the season I've wanted to have, and as a team I think you could say the same," he said. "Frustration tends to build up. Obviously people that really know me—teammates, people I deal with in the community, even fans that I come across in the gas station—I think these people can see me being a genuine person. Obviously, I shouldn't have used those choices of words. I'm looking forward to playing better and doing better and most importantly not being a distraction to my teammates."

So far this season, Mathieu has tallied two interceptions and a single touchdown in six games while Hitchens has accumulated 22 single tackles in the same amount of games.