"I just want people to see that you can overcome pretty much whatever you hope to. One thing I'm always going to preach is opportunity. My life is a picture of opportunities that were taken advantage of." - Saunders
Seventy-six thousand, four hundred and sixteen screaming fans packed Arrowhead Stadium August 10, 2019, and it gave Khalen Saunders chills.
Lately, life has been a whirlwind for the 23-year old.
Marriage, fatherhood, college graduation, and the NFL Draft all occurred in the past year alone. And on that Saturday, Saunders waited patiently on the sidelines, donning a red and gold No. 99 jersey tucked crisply into white pants, just moments away from making his National Football League (NFL) debut with the Kansas City Chiefs.
Kansas City Chiefs (Steve Sanders)
"As far as the atmosphere and stuff like that, it was crazy. I've never played anything like that," Saunders recalled. "I was nervous, but not because I didn't think I was going to perform. I was nervous because of how many people were there. I know the game plan, plays and stuff like that, so I knew all my stuff; it was just like 'Wow, this many people.' It's just a different kind of energy."
The rookie saw playing time as Kansas City defeated Cincinnati 38-17 in the preseason opener, which also marked his first win as a professional football player.
The Only One
Imagine that 6-foot, 324-pound frame offered just one Division I football scholarship. What others couldn't see, Western Illinois University welcomed with open arms.
"Everybody at Western, they believed in me. That, along with being the only offer, made me want to play a little bit harder," he said.
Saunders is a naturally-gifted athlete who goes beyond the expectations of his large stature. Ask him to hoop, and he'll display supreme ball-handling abilities with a shot to go along with it. In track and field, he was an accomplished thrower in the shot put and discus events, and just before the NFL Combine, he shocked the world with another surprise talent - double backflips.
"In the summer, the coaches like to play basketball at lunch when we can," defensive line coach John Haneline said. "One day, [Khalen] was out there, and we needed a guy, so he jumped in on the defensive staff's team. I knew he was athletic but never saw him play basketball. The first three times we had the ball, he was playing point guard. He was crossing guys up with his dribble and making crazy layups and hitting 3-pointers. We easily won the game. He looked like Kyrie Irving on the court, and it blew me away and showed me why his jab counter pass rush was his best move."
Despite the successes all around him, the gridiron was always home. Football was Saunders' first love and a relationship that began at the age of eight when his father Kenton first introduced him to the game.
It didn't take long for opposing teams to include Saunders in their game plan. The defensive lineman was often double-teamed but finished his Leatherneck career as an Associated Press, Phil Steele and STAT FCS All-American with 204 tackles, 18 sacks, and four forced fumbles. The sack tally ranks sixth all-time in WIU history.
Saunders also moonlighted with the offense from time to time to record a pair of touchdowns. It took Youngstown State by surprise last season when he lined up as a receiver in the third quarter of a 23-10 ballgame and his first career reception resulted in a score.
Saunders crowned his senior season ranked sixth all-time in sacks.
"Khalen is one of the most special young men I have ever been around and that goes far beyond football," said Western's head football coach Jared Elliott. "He has an elite skill set and ability to play the game, but he is so much more than just a talented football player. People naturally gravitate to him; his personality is infectious and can instantly light up a room with his charisma."
Saunders stockpiled several memories at Hanson Field from 2014 – 2018 including his engagement to now-wife Ayanna and the couple's gender reveal party. They met on campus – he credits Facebook's "suggested friends" list with the introduction – but didn't officially interact until a chance meeting on a bus.
"We met in person when she was getting off the bus, and I was getting on to go to class. We hadn't talked [on Facebook] for a few months, but I saw her and messaged her 'I saw you today.' She didn't believe me until I told her what she had on," Saunders laughed.
The message led to two and a half years of courtship, marriage, and their daughter, Kambridge.
The Phone Call
"You ever been to a concert and then get in the car and it's like a constant ringing? That's how it was. My head was kind of ringing, and I had goosebumps."
On Friday, April 26, 2019, Saunders moved from NFL hopeful to NFL rookie when he was selected the 84th overall pick of the 2019 NFL Draft.
The Saunders Family: Ayanna, Kambridge, Khalen
"Honestly when I got that phone call, I was thinking about a lot of stuff," he recalled. "I was looking at the TV trying to figure out who it was, but then it was hard because sometimes they will call two or three picks in advance. When my phone rang, I told everybody to be quiet, and when they did, I got chills.
"I was just happy. I couldn't really do anything, because I was holding my baby, and trying to answer questions while trying to keep my composure. When they announced it on TV, that's when I lost it. It was real at that point."
Instead of attending the formal event in Nashville, Saunders decided to watch the draft at home in St. Louis. He remembers chatting with the Chiefs' general manager Brett Veach, head coach Andy Reid, and defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo. And he'll never forget the overall vibe of the room.
"Obviously, my mom [Kim], brother [Kameron], and wife all hugged me because they are so emotional, but my dad was just laughing and smiling all big," he said. "That's how you can tell my dad is proud. I look a lot like my dad, so when I smile big, we just look like each other. There is actually a picture of me and him on draft night standing next to each other smiling and we look identical."
Saunders has several reasons to smile these days. He signed a four-year contract with the Chiefs in June, and has won over the fan base with his charismatic personality and incredible athleticism. He hopes to be a major contributor to the Kansas City defense this season, and will also be keeping an eye on the Leathernecks.
Saunders with his father, Kenton.
