Khalen Saunders

DT

#68

Experience: 7 years

Height: 6-0

Age: 29

Weight: 324 lbs

College: Western Illinois

Biography

KEY TRANSACTIONS

Originally drafted by Kansas City in the third round (84th overall) in the 2019 draft
Signed by New Orleans as an unrestricted free agent on 3/20/23
Traded to Jacksonville on 8/18/25

KEY TRANSACTIONS

Originally drafted by Kansas City in the third round (84th overall) in the 2019 draft
Signed by New Orleans as an unrestricted free agent on 3/20/23
Traded to Jacksonville on 8/18/25

PRO

Career Highlights

Two-time Super Bowl champion with the Chiefs (LIV and LVII)

2024 (Saints)

Appeared in 13 games (10 starts) and totaled 43 tackles (three for loss), 2.0 sacks, three passes defensed and an interception returned for 37 yards
12/8 at NYG: Had five tackles, two quarterback hits and an eight-yard sack of Giants QB Drew Lock
10/27 at LAC: Totaled four tackles and a 10-yard sack of Chargers QB Justin Herbert
10/7 at K.C.: Recorded a career-high seven tackles and his first career interception of Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes... he returned the red zone interception 37 yards

2023 (Saints)

Started all 17 games for the first time and recorded a career-high 57 tackles (one for loss), two quarterback hits and one pass defensed
11/12 at MIN: Notched a pair of tackles, including one for loss, and a quarterback hit
9/24 at GB: Recorded four tackles and a quarterback hit

2022 (Chiefs)

Played in 16 regular-season games he appeared in and recorded 48 tackles (three for loss), eight quarterback hits, 3.5 sacks and one pass defensed
Appeared in all three postseason games and recorded five tackles and a sack
2/12 at PHI: Sacked Eagles QB Jalen Hurts in Kansas City's Super Bowl victory
1/1 at DEN: Had an eight-yard sack of Broncos QB Russell Wilson
11/6 vs. TEN: Totaled six tackles and a sack of Titans QB Malik Willis for a loss of 12 yards

2021 (Chiefs)

Played in seven games and recorded eight tackles... Missed time on injured reserve
10/24 at TEN: Recorded a season-high four tackles

2020 (Chiefs)

Played three games and recorded three tackles... Missed time on injured reserve

2019 (Chiefs)

Played 12 games (four starts) as a rookie and totaled 21 tackles, two quarterback hits, 1.0 sack and one pass defensed
Appeared in all three postseason games where he posted three tackles
2/2 vs. SF: Had a tackle in the Chiefs' Super Bowl win
10/27 vs. GB: Sacked Packers QB Aaron Rodgers, marking the first sack of his career
10/13 vs. HOU: Totaled two tackles in his first NFL start

COLLEGE

Appeared in 46 games for Western Illinois (2014-18)
Totaled 203 tackles, 17.5 sacks, six passes defensed, four forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries in his collegiate career
Became WIU's first-ever Senior Bowl participant and recorded a sack in the 2019 game

PERSONAL

Older brother, Kameron, has been a choreographer and dancer on three of Taylor Swift's tours
Actively involved in community service; causes he's supported include military, the LGBTQ+ community and the National Kidney Foundation
Plays piano
Majored in math education at Western Illinois
Earned All-Conference and All-State honors as a senior at Parkway Central High School (Chesterfield, Mo.) in 2013
Also lettered in wrestling and track & field at Parkway Central H.S.

WK	OPP	RESULT	TKL	AST	COMBINED	SOLO	SCK	SFTY	PDEF	INT	YDS	AVG	LNG	TDS	FF
13	Rams	L 14 - 21	1	0	1	1	0	0	0						0
14	@Giants	W 14 - 11	4	1	5	3	1	0	0						0
15	Commanders	L 19 - 20	0	4	4	0	0	0	0						0
16	@Packers	L 0 - 34	1	3	4	1	0	0	2						0
17	Raiders	L 10 - 25	3	4	7	3	0	0	0						0
18	@Buccaneers	L 19 - 27
1	Panthers	W 47 - 10
2	@Cowboys	W 44 - 19
3	Eagles	L 12 - 15
4	@Falcons	L 24 - 26	0	1	1	0	0	0	0						0
5	@Chiefs	L 13 - 26	2	5	7	2	0	0	1	1	37	37	37	0	0
6	Buccaneers	L 27 - 51	2	0	2	2	0	0	0						0
7	Broncos	L 10 - 33
8	@Chargers	L 8 - 26	3	1	4	3	1	0	0						0
9	@Panthers	L 22 - 23	1	1	2	1	0	0	0						0
10	Falcons	W 20 - 17	1	3	4	1	0	0	0						0
11	Browns	W 35 - 14	0	2	2	0	0	0	0						0

Career Stats

Defense Career

SEASON	TEAM	G	GS	TKL	AST	COMBINED	SOLO	SCK	PDEF	INT	YDS	AVG	LNG	TDS	OPP FR
2019	Kansas City Chiefs	12	4	13	9	22	11	1	1
2020	Kansas City Chiefs	3	1	3	0	3	3	0	0
2021	Kansas City Chiefs	7	0	2	6	8	1	0	0
2022	Kansas City Chiefs	16	0	22	26	48	18	3.5	1
2023	New Orleans Saints	17	17	24	33	57	19	0	1
2024	New Orleans Saints	13	10	18	25	43	17	2	3	1	37	37	37	0
TOTAL		68	32	82	99	181	69	6.5	6	1	37	37	37	0	0

2024 SEASON

Solo

17
SCK

2
FF

0
INT

1

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