“I’m Never a Malice Type of Guy”: Khalen Saunders Reflects on Talking to Patrick Mahomes Throughout the MNF Game

Saints DT Khalen Saunders was the lone bright spot in New Orleans’ forgettable outing against the Chiefs at Arrowhead on Monday night. The 6-foot, 324-pound star clocked 15.79 mph when he intercepted a Patrick Mahomes pass in the third quarter.

His stunning exploits helped the team to move the ball out of the red zone, but the Saints registered a 13-26 loss regardless– their third defeat this season.

Reflecting on the interception, Saunders reminisced about his time with the Chiefs from 2019 to 2022 and shared details about his on-field conversations with Mahomes during the Monday Night Football game. He added: 

“I talked to Pat. I talked to him throughout the whole game. I mean, you know, I’m never a malice type of guy. You know it’s always for the love of the game and the spirit of the game. I’m going out and compete though and they (the Chiefs) know that.”

Back in 2023, Saunders played a crucial role in the Chiefs’ Super Bowl LVII win, where he recorded two tackles and a sack against the Eagles. A month later, he was traded to the Saints on a three-year, $14.5 million contract.

Interestingly, the Saints-Chiefs MNF game marked Saunders’ return to Arrowhead, where he began his NFL career and won two Super Bowls.

The 28-year-old fondly reflected on his Chiefs’ tenure while discussing the interception and how he capitalized on their ‘mistake’:

“Yeah, obviously coming from playing here for four years and all the respect in the world for Pat man, and you know, you got to take advantage of the mistakes they make. So, just to be on the other end of the mistake that was made, man. That was special for me.”

The interception happened when Saunders picked off a Mahomes pass intended for JuJu Smith-Schuster. This feat stunned many in the NFL world, including Tom Brady, who tweeted, “Big man on the move,” on X, referencing Saunders’ size and agility.

With the NFL world, including Mahomes and Brady, taking notice of his stunning performance, Saunders will look to put the loss behind him and focus on next Sunday’s game against the Buccaneers.