Kevin Harlan’s ‘Thicc Pick’ Call of Khalen Saunders’ Interception Was Perfect

Khalen Saunders’ end zone interception was one of the most exciting plays of the NFL season.
Khalen Saunders’ end zone interception was one of the most exciting plays of the NFL season. / Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

Khalen Saunders provided NFL fans with one of the more shocking sequences of the season during the New Orleans Saints Monday Night Football game against the Kansas City Chiefs. The Saints defensive tackle crushed Travis Kelce with a monster hit near the goal line during the third quarter, which led to Joe Buck revealing that Saunders's brother was a backup dancer for Taylor Swift.

Then while people were processing that information, the 324-pound lineman dropped into coverage and intercepted a Patrick Mahomes pass in the end zone. Not settling for a touchback, Saunders then ran the ball out all the way to the 37. It was a legitimately wild scene to behold.

As if actual video of the play wasn't enough, Kevin Harlan, one of the greatest voices in sports broadcasting history, was there to call it for Westwood One.

"There's a shotgun snap," Harlan said on the radio. "The fake handoff. The quick throw at the goal line is deflected and it's intercepted on the play... by Saunders! He runs! The big man. The 10. Near sideline 20. On the near sideline 30! Got a block and from behind the former Chief is taken down! The Saints bigman got it on a ricochet at the goal line on a pass intended for Smith-Schuster.."

Harlan then paused for just a moment before adding, "That was a thicc pick! THAT WAS A THICC PICK!"

And that is a great radio call. Descriptive. Exciting. And even contemporary. Just Kevin Harlan doing Kevin Harlan things.


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Stephen Douglas
STEPHEN DOUGLAS

Stephen Douglas is a Senior Writer on the Breaking & Trending News Team at Sports Illustrated. He has been in journalism and media since 2008, and now casts a wide net with coverage across all sports. Stephen spent more than a decade with The Big Lead and has previously written for Uproxx and The Sporting News. He has three children, two degrees and one now unverified Twitter account.