Taylor Swift’s backup dancer’s brother tackled her boyfriend Kelce in ‘play of the game’

A backup dancer on Taylor Swift’s Eras tour has said it was “the play of the game” when his brother spectacularly intercepted a pass on Monday Night Football – immediately after delivering a thunderous punch to Swift’s friend – while the puppet superstar personally watched from a luxury box.

The sequence of events that brought together Eras artist Kameron Saunders, his professional soccer-playing sibling Khalen, Swift and her partner, Travis Kelce, had the 14-time Grammy winner leaning against someone next to her and pointing animatedly toward the field in the view of a television camera, and saying incredulously, “That’s my backup dancer’s brother.”

Kameron Saunders, meanwhile, had a field day on his Instagram account with his brother’s big moment.

In addition to one story that reads: “PERIOD!!!!! Play the game,” he also reposted a video with the caption, “What’s currently happening in the Eras Tour Travis Taylor Kam Saunders’ brothers lore.” The dancer summarily stated that he had seen “hands down the best clip” of Khalen Saunders’ turn in the American national spotlight.

Khalen Saunders joined the New Orleans Saints for their 2023 NFL campaign after helping the Kansas City Chiefs win two Super Bowl championships. He and the Saints lost with Swift to Kelce’s Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City on Monday by a score of 26-13, but only after Khalen Saunders put his stamp on the game.

Late in the third quarter, Kelce caught a pass near the goal line while being defended by the Saints, but Saunders tackled him two yards short, with both players’ helmets colliding violently. Kelce appeared visibly shaken after the collision, with one of the television commentators noting: “That’s one [he] felt – I promise you.”

On the next play, Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes aimed a pass into the end zone to teammate JuJu Smith-Schuster. Saints defenseman Paulson Adebo hit Smith-Schuster as the Chiefs receiver caught the ball and forced it loose.

Khalen Saunders had instinctively moved towards Adebo and Smith-Schuster – grabbing the ball out of the air with one hand as it raced towards him. He then ran 37 yards in the opposite direction, setting up a Saints score that allowed them to temporarily get within three points of the Chiefs before Kansas City finally came out of the woods.

At 6-foot-4 and 324 pounds, Khalen Saunders isn’t the shortest man who ever lived. But he impressed viewers of the game with the way he held the ball to his body after his first career interception and confidently walked to the goal line the Chiefs were defending – not always the easiest feat for someone of his format – until his opponents finally stopped. it.

Among them was Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray, who suggested on social media that Khalen Saunders must have previously played running back, a position in the sport that mainly involves carrying the football into the opponent’s end zone. On his Instagram, Kameron Saunders responded to Murray’s post with, “Actually he did.”

Khalen Saunders’ connection to Swift via Kameron was a storyline heading into and during the game. The broadcast showed a photo of Kameron, Kelce and Swift all performing together on stage at an Eras tour concert at Wembley Stadium in London in July.

That image is pinned on the top from Kameron Saunders’ Instagram account with a caption fawning over his closeness to Kelce.

“Trav..I had the time of my life being an absolute HAM with you on stage,” the caption reads. “This was such a full circle moment for me.

“I’ve been to countless Chiefs games with my family over the years to support my little brother… And now you and I get to share the biggest stage in the world with boss lady… we come full circle! The Saunders family loves you, Trav!’

When Khalen Saunders was asked days before Monday’s showdown if he was counting on his older brother’s support, he told reporters that he did indeed expect it.

“He doesn’t care about the Chiefs,” the St. Louis, Missouri, native said video. “He cares about his brother. That’s his boss, but I’m his brother.”

Kameron Saunders, who took a photo with Khalen who was on the field before Monday’s match left no doubt about his alliances.

Kameron echoed Khalen’s comments, writing, “Of course I care about the Chiefs… just not today!”