He may be a defensive tackle now, but Khalen Saunders went back to his high school roots on “Monday Night Football.”
Saunders, who played running back in high school, put that experience to use when he intercepted Patrick Mahomes’ pass in the end zone before scampering 37 yards downfield late in the third quarter. Saunders’ pick set up a Saints touchdown.
It was an incredible play by the 6-foot, 324-pound Saunders, who recorded the longest interception return by a 300-plus pound players in 17 years. He reached a top speed of 15.79 miles per hour — the third-fastest speed by a ballcarrier that weighs over 320 pounds since 2016.
Saunders’ play quickly went viral and even earned praise from arguably the greatest player of all-time.
It was the first career interception for Saunders, who won two Super Bowls with the Chiefs before joining the Saints last season.