WEEK 1 · Sun 08/13 · 12:00 PM CDT
Chiefs
Kansas City Chiefs
AT
Saints
New Orleans Saints
SAINTS: Roster | Depth Chart | Stats | Injury Report
CHIEFS: Roster | Depth Chart | Stats | Injury Report
The Kansas City Chiefs visit the New Orleans Saints at the Caesars Superdome in Week 1 of the 2023 NFL Preseason on Sunday, Aug. 13, 2023 at noon CT.
The Chiefs and head coach Andy Reid (one of only two active coaches to lead their teams to multiple Super Bowl wins after capturing Super Bowl LVII) will serve as a stiff opening test for the Saints.
New Orleans is debuting a new signal caller in QB Derek Carr in 2023, after spending the first nine years of his career with the Las Vegas Raiders. Carr has familiarity with the Chiefs as they squared off twice a year in the AFC West.
The Saints will have a full arsenal of a weapons at the skill positions, starting with the return of wide receiver Michael Thomas from a toe injury, flanked on the opposite side by 2022 PFWA All-Rookie selection Chris Olave. The running backs corps led by Alvin Kamara has been supplemented by free agent acquisition Jamaal Williams and third round draft pick Kendre Miller. The tight end quartet of Jimmy Graham, Taysom Hill, Juwan Johnson, and Foster Moreau can impact both the run game and passing game.
The heart and soul of the NFL's fifth-ranked defense returns in LB Demario Davis, DE Cameron Jordan, and S Tyrann Mathieu, mixed with a younger group of players at all three levels that have been acquired through the draft and free agency.
SAINTS vs. CHIEFS SERIES HISTORY
- The Saints and the Chiefs have faced off ten times in the preseason, with New Orleans holding a 6-4 edge overall.
- This will be the first meeting between the two clubs in the preseason since a 17-13 Saints win on August 9, 2013 at the Superdome.
- New Orleans has won three straight exhibition games over the Chiefs, dating back to an August 9, 1997, 26-7 victory at the Superdome.
- Sunday's meeting will be the fourth time the Saints have opened their preseason against the Chiefs, the second time at home.
- In the regular season, the Saints trail the Chiefs 5-7, the last game being a 32-29 victory by the Chiefs in the Superdome on December 20, 2020.
THE LAST MEETING
Chiefs 32, Saints 29; December 20, 2020 @ The Superdome – The New Orleans Saints came up short in Drew Brees' return, falling 32-29 to the Kansas City Chiefs. The Saints' franchise quarterback had missed the previous four games with broken ribs and a punctured lung.
After a sluggish start, Brees completed 15-of-28 passes for 234 yards and three touchdowns, including a 51-yard strike to Emmanuel Sanders that helped set up a Taysom Hill touchdown.
New Orleans' defense made Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes feel it all game. The Saints sacked Mahomes four times, led by defensive end Trey Hendrickson who registered two takedowns.
Mahomes proved to be too much in the end, completing 26-of-47 passes for 254 yards and three scores. Chiefs running back and former LSU Tiger Clyde Edwards-Helaire led the team with 79 rushing yards on 14 carries before leaving the game due to injury.
Game action photos from the New Orleans Saints vs. Kansas City Chiefs matchup in Week 15 of the 2020 NFL season.
SAINTS vs. CHIEFS SERIES FAST FACTS
Saints' Largest Margin of Victory: Ten points (three times), Saints won 30-20 (most recent) on 11/16/08 @ Arrowhead Stadium
Chiefs' Largest Margin of Victory: 20 points, Chiefs won 47-27 on 9/8/85 @ Louisiana Superdome
Most Points by Saints in a Game: 30 points, Saints won 30-20 on 11/16/08 @ Arrowhead Stadium
Most Points by Chiefs in a Game: 47 points, Chiefs won 47-27 on 9/8/85 @ Louisiana Superdome
Most Combined Points (Both Teams): 74 points, Chiefs won 47-27 on 9/8/85 @ Louisiana Superdome
Fewest Points by Saints in a Game: 13 points, Chiefs won 25-13 on 12/21/97 @ Arrowhead Stadium
Fewest Points by Chiefs in a Game: 10 points, Saints won 17-10 on 9/8/91 @ Arrowhead Stadium
Fewest Combined Points (Both Teams): 27 points, Saints won 17-10 on 9/8/91 @ Arrowhead Stadium
SAINTS vs. CHIEFS CONNECTIONS
Kansas City Defensive Coordinator Steve Spagnuolo served in the same position in New Orleans in 2012, while Chiefs Outside Linebackers Coach Ken Flajole tutored the New Orleans secondary.
KC Defensive Line Coach Joe Cullen served in the same position for LSU in 1999.
Saints kicker Blake Grupe is a Sedalia, Missouri native, where he prepped at Smith-Cotton HS.
New Orleans running back Alvin Kamara played at Hutchinson Junior College in 2014, where he was the Kansas Junior College conference Offensive Player of the Year.
Chiefs running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire prepped at Catholic (Baton Rouge, La.) HS and started at Louisiana State University, where he was a college teammate of Saints tight end Foster Moreau and wide receiver Jontre Kirklin.
Chiefs Safety Justin Reid prepped at Dutchtown (Prairieville, La.) native.
Chiefs cornerback L’Jarius Sneed prepped at Minden (La.) HS and starred at Louisiana Tech.
Saints defensive end Tanoh Kpassagnon was a second round draft pick of Kansas City in 2017 and played for the Chiefs in his first four seasons.
Saints safety Tyrann Mathieu played for the Chiefs from 2019-21, where he was a two-time Pro Bowl selection (2020-21) and was an Associated Press All-Pro twice.
New Orleans DT Khalen Saunders is a St. Louis, Missouri native where he prepped at Parkway Central (Chesterfield, Mo.) HS, was a third round pick of the Chiefs in 2019 and played in Kansas City his first four seasons.
Saints linebacker D'Marco Jackson played with Kansas City center Anderson Hardy at Appalachian State.
Chiefs Defensive Backs coach Dave Merritt and Saints Senior Defensive Assistant Peter Giunta both coached for the New York Giants from 2006-2014, Merritt was the safeties/secondary coach and Giunta was the cornerbacks/secondary Coach.
Chiefs safeties coach Donald D’Alesio was a defensive analyst for LSU in 2020.
Chiefs wide receiver Ty Fryfogle prepped at George County (Lucedale, Miss.) HS.
Saints center/guard Cesar Ruiz, guard Chuck Filiaga and Chiefs defensive end Mike Danna were college teammates at the University of Michigan.
Saints defensive back J.T. Gray played with safety Johnathan Abram and Chiefs linebacker Willie Gay and defensive end Chris Jones at Mississippi State.
Saints cornerback Alontae Taylor and Chiefs guards Jerome Carvin and Trey Smith were teammates at Tennessee.
Saints Defensive Lineman Malcolm Roach and Chiefs Safety Anthony Cook and defensive tackle Keondre Coburn were college teammates at Texas.
Saints linebackers Zack Baun and Ryan Connelly were teammates with Chiefs linebacker Leo Chenal at Wisconsin in 2019.
Saints wide receiver Lynn Bowden, cornerback Lonnie Johnson Jr., and tackle Landon Young were college teammates with Chiefs safety Mike Edwards, defensive tackle Phil Hoskins, and tackle Darian Kinnard at Kentucky from 2017-2018.
Saints quarterback Jameis Winston, Chiefs QB Blaine Gabbert, tackle Donovan Smith and Edwards were teammates in Tampa Bay.
Saints wide receiver James Washington and Chiefs wide receiver Richie James played for the New York Giants in 2022.
Saints defensive tackle Bryan Bresee and Chiefs wide receiver Justyn Ross were college teammates at Clemson.
Saints linebacker Demario Davis and Chiefs nose tackle Danny Shelton played for the Browns in 2016.
Saints tackle Storm Norton and Chiefs linebacker Drue Tranquill played for the Los Angeles Chargers from 2020-2022.
New Orleans guard Tommy Kraemer and Tranquill were college teammates at Notre Dame.
Saints tight end Jimmy Graham, running back Jamaal Williams and Chiefs wide receiver Marquez Valdes Scantling played for the Packers together.
Chiefs Offensive Coordinator Matt Nagy was Graham's head coach in Chicago from 2020-21, while Saints Tight Ends Coach Clancy Barone served on Nagy's staff.
Saints Punter Blake Gillikin and Chiefs Defensive End Truman Jones played together at The Westminster School (Atlanta, Ga.).
Kansas City running backs coach Todd Pinkston is a Forest, Miss. native, who played at Southern Mississippi and served as wide receivers coach at Petal (Miss.) HS from 2009-16.
Saints safety Marcus Maye and defensive tackle Nathan Shepherd played with Chiefs cornerback Lamar Jackson with the New York Jets.
Saints defensive tackle Prince Emili and Chiefs wide receiver Justin Watson were college teammates at Penn in 2016.
Kansas City center Austin Reiter was a member of the New Orleans active roster and practice squad for the first month of the 2021 season.
Game action photos from the New Orleans Saints vs. Kansas City Chiefs matchup in Week 15 of the 2020 NFL season.