Saints star Khalen Saunders, whose brother is a backup dancer for Taylor Swift, is launching an LGBTQ-friendly youth football camp this summer.
The two-time Super Bowl champion believes there is a lack of ‘space for the LGBTQ community’ in the ‘very male-dominant and heterosexual dominant’ world of the NFL.
‘Football is for all,’ he added. Saunders announced the camp alongside former Cowboys kicker RK Russell, who came out as bisexual in 2019.
Kameron Saunders, meanwhile, was part of Swift’s team for her iconic Eras Tour. The pop sensation is now a regular at Chiefs games and her romance with Travis Kelce has brought many new fans to the NFL.
But Saints defensive tackle Saunders insists football must still do more to be welcoming for all.
‘Being an ally is more than just saying “I support”… it’s also showing up,’ Saunders told NFL Network.
Saints star Khalen Saunders is launching an LGBTQ-friendly youth football camp this summer
The NFL star’s brother Kameron, pictured on the Eras Tour, is a backup dancer for Taylor Swift
Saunders announced the camp with ex-Cowboys star RK Russell (left) who is bisexual
‘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.’
He continued: ‘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… that’s my goal: to continue to spread positive energy around that because football is for everybody.’
The camp kicks off July 5 and Saunders, 28, is working alongside GLAAD and the NFL Pride Football Combine in an effort to make football more inclusive.
Saunders is a former teammate of Kelce in Kansas City and in October he went viral after intercepting Patrick Mahomes and running the ball 37 yards upfield at Arrowhead Stadium.