Predator: Badlands put the iconic sci-fi franchise back on the map in 2025. Chase Young — nicknamed after the alien — did the same for himself in December and January, winning NFC Defensive Player of the Month honors for the final month of the regular season.
Congrats to @youngchase907 on being named the NFC Defensive Player of the Month! pic.twitter.com/vkI79uPPed
— New Orleans Saints (@Saints) January 8, 2026
The former Ohio State star and current New Orleans Saints defensive end dominated the final five weeks of the regular season, collecting 19 tackles, six tackles for loss, five sacks, two fumble recoveries (one returned for a touchdown) and a pass breakup. Young’s surge coincided with New Orleans winning four of its final five games to close the season at 6-11.
The 2025 campaign marked Young’s second season in the Big Easy, where he has rediscovered the drive and disruption that made him the No. 2 overall pick in the 2020 NFL draft. Across 29 appearances with the Saints, Young has recorded 69 tackles, 19 tackles for loss, 15.5 sacks, three forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries (with one touchdown) and seven pass breakups.
Before arriving in New Orleans, Young spent three-and-a-half seasons with the Washington Commanders and a half-season with the San Francisco 49ers. He signed a three-year, $51 million contract with the Saints in March 2025, a deal that can reach $57 million with incentives.
