Kansas City Chiefs defensive back Tyrann Mathieu has never been afraid to speak his mind and support causes that matter to him. Of course, he narrated Joe Burrow's Heisman hype video and is a staunch supporter of LSU, the school where he became an All-American safety and was a Heisman Trophy finalist.
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The Honey Badger is also a big proponent of animal rights — a pressing issue right now if you've paid attention to the Michael Vick Pro Bowl petitions. In May, the NFL star teamed up with PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) and locked himself in a hot car on a summer day to show the adverse affects of leaving dogs in parked cars.
The video of Mathieu sweating, which demonstrated the signs of heatstroke during summer months, went viral and garnered 70 million views.
Mathieu once again has teamed up with the organization to create another PETA video. This time, it's to bring awareness to leaving dogs chained outside in the freezing cold.
Tyrann Mathieu Shuts Himself in Freezer
The Kansas City Chiefs safety, used to practicing and playing in shivering temperatures, shut himself in a walk-in freezer and lasted just 20 minutes before he couldn't stand the frigid air anymore.
"All my body wants to do is huddle right now. I can get out of this freezer. Most dogs are chained up outside and they're not able to get warm," the one-time Pro-Bowler said. "This is colder than winter practice."
The public service announcement brings an important message about leaving dogs out in the cold.
PETA receives thousands of complaints about dogs and cats struggling to survive outside during the cold winter months. They can suffer from frostbite and become dehydrated when their water sources freeze. The organization claims there were at least 29 cold weather-related companion animal deaths last winter alone, and those are just the cases that were reported. Mathieu and PETA encourage you to notify authorities if you see animals left outside in extreme temperatures.
This is the second video Mathieu has done with PETA.
The former Arizona Cardinals and Houston Texans player is one of many professional athletes — including Antoine Bethea, Devin Funchess, Chris Harris Jr., Ronnie Stanley, Terrell Suggs, Lonnie Walker, Alex Morgan and Elena Delle Donne — that has worked with the organization to promote treating dogs with kindness.
Tyrann Mathieu Locks Himself in Hot Car
In May of 2019, the Chiefs safety locked himself in a hot car to show how quickly animals can suffer when trapped inside parked vehicles.
Mathieu sweated profusely as temperatures inside the SUV reached 120 degrees. The NFL star lasts just eight minutes inside before exiting the oven-like conditions.
"I seriously couldn't imagine leaving my dog in a car like this," Mathieu says in the video. "If you're going to make a dog a part of your family ... [d]on't treat him like you wouldn't treat someone you cared about or someone you loved."
You can visit PETA.org for more information on these topics. What do you think Tyrann Mathieu will lock himself in next?
