Former Chiefs lineman gets big man interception off Patrick Mahomes

Five and a half years ago, the Kansas City Chiefs made one of the better selections in recent memory when they took Western Illinois defensive lineman Khalen Saunders in the third round of the 2019 NFL Draft.

He was once hailed as the "Aaron Donald of the FCS" and came into the league sporting an absolutely ridiculously, athletic frame. At six feet, 320 pounds, the man can do backflips -- no, not on a trampoline. We're talking flat-footed and on the ground, for those who might not remember.

Saunders' athleticism should come as no surprise, though, since it seems to be in the family gene pool.

And, on Monday Night Football in Week 5, Saunders' athleticism was on full display.

Late in the third quarter and as the Chiefs were about to go in and score, blowing this game nearly out of reach, Patrick Mahomes thought he had JuJu Smith-Schuster on a touchdown pass until the ball was tipped in the air and fell into the hands of ... you guessed it, Saunders.

The former high school running back looked like he was waiting for this moment all his professional career.

The Khalen Saunders interception altered momentum in a big way

This one hurt especially bad for Chiefs fans because he was definitely a fan favorite before going on to sign a three-year deal in New Orleans.

After Saunders' pick, the Saints would march right back down the field en route to scoring a touchdown and coming within three points.

Instead of the Saints going down 23-7, they were able to bring it to a score of 16-13. New Orleans would miss the extra point attempt.

Saunders had not previously recorded a single career interception in over five seasons as a pro, making this night even more special. In a return to Kansas City, the team which drafted him, Saunders would make one of the game's biggest plays.