Khalen Saunders’ big man interception has Taylor Swift twist in Chiefs-Saints game

One of the most fascinating stories during the 2019 NFL Draft season came from Western Illinois.

The Leathernecks saw their first player invited to the Senior Bowl, the premier pre-draft collegiate all-star game. That player? Defensive lineman Khalen Saunders, who built a name for himself during his days on campus, and added to his legend during the pre-draft process thanks to his incredible athleticism:

That athleticism was on display Monday night against the Kansas City Chiefs, the team that drafted him in the third round back in 2019.

Despite starting his career with Kansas City, Saunders signed with the New Orleans Saints as a free agent in March of 2023.

Saunders and the rest of the Saints took on the Chiefs on Monday Night Football, and late in the third quarter, he was in the game as the Chiefs were knocking on the doorstep of the end zone. Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes targeted JuJu Smith-Schuster on a short throw, and the pass popped out of Smith-Schuster’s arms, and into the air.

That’s when Saunders’ athleticism took over:

Reacting to the throw Saunders broke in Smith-Schuster’s direction, and snared the football out of the air one-handed for his first career interception. Not content to simply kneel down for a touchback, Saunders broke up field, flashing that athleticism on an incredible 37-yard return.

Here is another angle of the play:

Just how athletic a play was this? According to Next Gen Stats Saunders hit a top speed of 15.79 miles per hour on his return, the third-fastest speed by a ball carrier who weighs over 320 pounds since 2016:

Saunders’ big moment had some big names around the sport going wild on social media.

(To Kyler Murray’s point, Saunders did play running back in high school).

Even if the story ended there, it would make for a storybook moment, however, there is an additional layer to this play.

Saunders’ brother.

Kameron Saunders is a professional dancer and choreographer, and among his many working credits is Taylor Swift’s The Eras Tour, where he was one of the 15 backup dancers. Saunders is the only backup dancer to have a speaking role in The Eras Tour, and has become something of a fan favorite as he will deliver one of his lines — “like ever,” when Swift sings “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together” — in either English or the local language if the tour is overseas:

Saunders also played a role in one of the summer’s most iconic moments from The Eras Tour. During the tour’s stop in London, Swift was joined on stage by her partner — and current Chiefs tight end — Travis Kelce.

Alongside them was Saunders:

Fast forward to Monday night, when the Saunders brothers were in the building together:

That brings us to the final layer of this entire bizarre sequence from Monday night.

Saunders’ interception came on 2nd and goal from the Saints’ 2-yard line. On first down, Mahomes threw a shovel pass to Kelce who was stopped just shy of the end zone, setting the stage for Saunders’ dramatic interception.

Who made the tackle on that play, stopping Kelce short?

Saunders:

As a professional sports writer it is my job to describe moments like this, but perhaps J.J. Watt put it best last night:

Exactly.