The Detroit Lions re-signed veteran cornerback Rashean Mathis to a two-year deal reportedly worth $3.5 million.

Mathis, 34, will enter his 13th NFL season, a mark of longevity he never imagined reaching.

“There’s always a number that each person gives himself,” Mathis said on a conference call Thursday. “Mine definitely wasn’t 13, but life happens, you get smarter, you get wiser and you realize you didn’t know nearly as much as you thought you did when you first entered the league.

“I think my number was probably eight coming into the league, because you think you have everything set. Once I got to six, I saw that eight wasn’t really a realistic number.

After spending his first 10 NFL seasons in Jacksonville, Mathis has played for the Lions the past two. Last year, he started every game and recorded 51 tackles, nine pass breakups and one interception, which he returned for a touchdown.

In his 12-year career, Mathis has 31 interceptions and 127 passes defensed.

Mathis, who will turn 35 before the start of next season, has played in all but one game for the Lions over the past two seasons.