Saints Defensive Tackle Khalen Saunders To Conduct 'LGBTQ-Friendly' Football Camp This Summer
Until now, the most attention New Orleans Saints defensive tackle Khalen Saunders has gotten during his NFL career came when he intercepted a tipped pass against Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs during the 2024 season.
Saunders, at 6-foot and 324 pounds, returned the pick 37 yards and instantly became a personification of a big-man rumble.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. - New Orleans Saints defensive tackle Khalen Saunders (50) intercepts a pass intended for Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster (9) during the second half at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium on Oct. 9, 2024. Photo: Denny Medley-Imagn Images
Saunders: ‘Football Is For All’
But now he's going to be known for his ongoing support of the gay community and its causes.
Saunders announced last week that he will conduct an "LGBTQ-friendly" football camp this summer during an appearance at the 2025 Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation media awards.
Saunders later said the point of the "LGBTQ-friendly" camp is "to get kids out and active."
"That's my goal [is] to continue to spread positive energy around that because football is for everybody," Saunders said during an appearance on the NFL Network's Good Morning Football. "Football is for all."
The New Orleans Saints and NFL are supporting Saunders in that they are spreading the news of the camp. Saunders appeared on the Good Morning Football episode, in part, to discuss the camp and the NFL partners with GLAAD.
BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. - (L-R) R.K. Russell and Khalen Saunders attend the 36th Annual GLAAD Media Awards at The Beverly Hilton on March 27, 2025. (Photo by Emma McIntyre/Getty Images for GLAAD)
Saunders: No Space For Gays In NFL
The Saints, meanwhile, put the segment on their website.
"Being an ally is more than just saying that I support, but it's also kind of showing up," Saunders said on the show. "Being in the NFL is very male-dominant and heterosexual dominant, and it's not really … it feels as though there's not really a space for the LGBTQ community."
Saunders attended the Pride Football Clinic, sponsored by the NFL, during Super Bowl week, along with Arizona Cardinals tight end Trey McBride.
"I was able to go out there and get to talk to some of the people participating in it and, man, it was great conversations," Saunders said. "These are people that feel they have to be hidden. And although they love the sport, they might love the NFL, they might love football in general as a sport, they kind of shy away from it because of orientations or other outside things."
Saunders put the interview on his social media page and it drew some mixed reactions. There was support. And there was criticism.
Saunders And Antonio Brown Beefing
Former Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown dubbed Saunders the "F****t of the day."
And that got Saunders a little riled.
"If you got a problem with what I’m doing then come beat my ass abt it," he posted. "actually would be some fun cardio for me."
Saunders has not announced the dates of his camp or the exact location. But he has the support of former Dallas Cowboys and Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive end Ryan Russell.
Russell announced he is bisexual in a 2019 ESPN article, two years after his NFL career ended.