Former Jacksonville Jaguars defensive tackle Khalen Saunders, whom the Jaguars parted ways with in the middle of the 2025 season despite having traded offensive lineman Luke Fortner to the New Orleans Saints, had the chance to prove his old team wrong as he returned to the state of Florida as a member of the New York Jets.
Saunders, who was barely impacting a game that saw Trevor Lawrence rip up an injury-riddled Jets defense, wasn't even to finish the contest. Saunders got into a tussle on a Cam Little extra point, and his conduct led to referees kicking him out of the game.
Saunders, who saw his Jets go down 38-13 in the third quarter after Jacksonville scored on six of their first seven possessions, was apparently so incensed by his team's performance that he was ejected from the game for apparently making contact with an official. What a nightmare.
Saunders' big chance to show the Jags how wrong they were ended with one tackle in a non-competitive game, an ejection that will be the story of his performance on the day, irrespective of his play on the field, and some reassurance that James Gladstone made the right call.
Jets DT Khalen Saunders ejected in third quarter of Jaguars revenge game
Saunders has been getting a somewhat meaningful diet of snaps with the Jets, but he has mostly been ineffective in his new diggs. Run-stuffer Harrison Phillips and the emerging Jowon Briggs have shown to be much more effective options on the interior line.
Jacksonville hasn't been pleased with the lack of development from Maason Smith and Arik Armstead looking more like a solid player than the difference-maker many expected him to be, but the defensive tackle room looks to be good enough without the former Chiefs champion factoring in.
The Jets could have used Saunders' services as veteran depth this offseason as they try to replace Quinnen Williams, but actions like this, even in a lost season, are likely not going to look back at this as some display of competitive fire. Saunders might be working himself out of a role with New York in 2026.
Jacksonville may have lost the initial trade with New Orleans that brought Saunders to Duval County, but with Saunders not doing a ton to show the Jaguars what a mistake they made by getting rid of them, they appear to be better off having gotten rid of him.