GLENDALE, Ariz. -- The Honey Badger is back.
Arizona Cardinals safety Tyrann Mathieu practiced for the first time Sunday, nearly eight months to the day after tearing his right ACL in Week 15 last season.
"I felt great," Mathieu said after the practice. "I got to get my wind back, but other than that, I felt great. I felt like I moved around pretty good."
The initial plan for Sunday, coach Bruce Arians said, was to have Mathieu as well as the other two Cardinals who came off the physically unable to perform list on Tuesday -- defensive tackle Frostee Rucker and cornerback Justin Bethel -- go through individual drills and then reevaluate their progress and health to see if they'd continue practicing.
When Mathieu heard the plan, he immediately questioned it.
"I thought about it and I said, 'What is a couple plays going to do for me?'" Mathieu said. "So, I pushed it a little bit, but I feel great."
In addition to individual drills, Mathieu took part in 7-on-7 and 11-on-11 drills, the latter of which he practiced with the first team. Mathieu said he was playing at about 80 percent speed and found himself hesitant at times, including one play when he broke on a pass to wide receiver J.J. Nelson but slowed down just enough and didn't get the interception, settling for a big hit.
Overall, though, Mathieu was "real surprised" with how much he was able to do Sunday.
"I didn't feel any pain. I didn't really get tight at all," Mathieu said. "I was surprised with where I was at, but I was also pleased with what I've been doing."
Mathieu feels he can be ready for Arizona's Sept. 11 season opener against the New England Patriots on "Sunday Night Football." Although he plans on taking his time and not rushing his return to full contact, he called Sunday "a great stepping stone."
Mathieu said his teammates even expressed their surprise in how well he was moving Sunday. He's wearing a brace, but it's smaller than the one he wore in 2014, when he returned from ACL and LCL surgery. When he was asked about the smaller brace, Mathieu looked down and started to smile. His swagger is back this year, compared to his return two seasons ago, Mathieu said.
And it's led to him being more confident on the field during his return.
"This is so much different than last time along," Mathieu said. "I'm pretty sure you guys know. Last time, it was ... trouble. This time I was pretty good. It felt great."
There is one area Mathieu needs to improve on, Arians said: regaining his passion.
On one play Sunday, running back David Johnson caught a pass on the sideline opposite of Mathieu. Mathieu thought about running to the play, before telling himself he probably should.
"It'll take some time," Mathieu said.
Said Arians: "It takes a little time to get in passion shape.
"But having him back there in the huddle is going to be good."