Khalen Saunders (50) against the New York Giants during a NFL game at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey
Khalen Saunders (50) against the New York Giants during a NFL game at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
New Orleans Saints player Khalen Saunders is on a mission to make football more welcoming, starting with a LGBTQ-friendly youth football camp this summer.
Saunders, 28, made the announcement on stage during the 2025 GLAAD Media Awards on Thursday, March 27 and spoke about the initiative during an appearance on NFL Network's "Good Morning Football," where the Super Bowl champion said, "Football is for all."
"Being an ally is more than just saying I support, but it's also showing up," Saunders said. "Being in the NFL is very male-dominant and heterosexual dominant and it feels as though there's not really a space for the LGBTQ community."
Khalen Saunders Says Brother Kameron Is ‘Getting Better’ at Football Lingo — and He's Learning Taylor Swift Moves (Exclusive)
Saunders — whose brother Kameron Saunders is a back-up dancer for Taylor Swift — said he's proud to partner with GLAAD and the NFL Pride Football Combine to make football more inclusive — one of the "pillars" of his Original Element foundation.
Khalen Saunders 'The Way Back' film premiere, Arrivals, Regal LA Live, Los Angeles
Khalen Saunders 'The Way Back' film premiere, Arrivals, Regal LA Live, Los Angeles
"These are people who feel like they have to be hidden, although they might love the sport, they might love the NFL, they might love football in general as a sport, but they kind of shy away from it just because of orientations, or all these other kind of outside things," Saunders said on the show.
"That's my goal to continue to spread positive energy around that because football is for everybody," Saunders said. "Football is for all."
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Saunders announced his camp, which kicks off July 5, alongside former Dallas Cowboys player RK Russell, who came out as bisexual in 2019.
Defensive tackle Khalen Saunders #99 of the Kansas City Chiefs reacts after a game against the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium
Defensive tackle Khalen Saunders #99 of the Kansas City Chiefs reacts after a game against the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium
In November, Saunders told PEOPLE he and his brother Kameron enjoy sharing their respective sports with one another. "Back in the day, he'd be educating...he'd be like, 'Oh that was a pirouette,' and telling us whatever they're doing in the class," he said of Kameron teaching him different dance moves.
Encouraging inclusivity and engaging with fans isn't new to the Saunders brothers. Khalen also said in November: "It's always a good thing to try and uplift people, to help the future generation with tools they can have to be more healthy physically and mentally."