What happened to Marquette King? Former Raiders standout finds feet with XFL's Renegades

David Suggs

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What happened to Marquette King? Former Raiders standout finds feet with XFL's Renegades image

The ball twirled and tumbled through the air, tracing a path as unpredictable as the man who sent it flying. It eventually found its home deep inside the 20-yard line. The opposition had been pinned back once more by a booming punt.

As for the man who delivered the kick? Well, he strutted off the field confident as ever. It was just another day at the office for the Renegades' Marquette King.

King puts the special in special teams. Not only is he a gifted cartographer capable of plotting the ball anywhere on the field, he also is eccentric, a stark contrast to the stoicism associated with his position.

So, just how did King end up in the XFL? Well, the 34-year-old has had quite the journey after seven highlight-filled seasons in the NFL.

This weekend, he's back in the spotlight as one of the big names in spring football. He'll be kicking for Arlington in the XFL championship game against the D.C. Defenders. Who doesn't love a good comeback?

MORE: When is the XFL championship game?

Here's what you need to know about King, who lit up NFL stadiums not too long ago:

What happened to Marquette King?

It's easy to forget just how good King was during his NFL career. The Macon, Ga., native seemed an unlikely candidate for professional success, even after a sparkling career at Division II Fort Valley State.

King joined the Raiders as an undrafted free agent in 2012. The next year, he led the league in punting average. In 2016, he earned second-team All-Pro honors. Not too shabby for a player who spent his first two years in college catching balls rather than booting them.

He also was a breath of fresh air within an atmosphere of bleak conformity. He was an athlete who played punter; the converted wide receiver ran the 40-yard dash in 4.67 seconds. His frame — 6-0, 195 pounds — was cut from marble. Even the number he wore, 7, exuded a certain confidence, evoking images of a skillful winger in soccer or hockey.

So, what gave? Where did it all go wrong for King?

As one of a precious few Black kickers and punters to ever make the grade in the pros, he couldn't keep a low profile. The glare only intensified when he began making waves with his actions on and off the field. 

FLASHBACK: Del Rio not happy with King’s penalties | King blames Pro Bowl snub on Russians

The organization to which he was tethered added to the drama by hiring Jon Gruden — of racist and homophobic e-mail fame — in 2018.

King doesn't believe the Silver and Black gave him a fair shot after Gruden's hire. Despite purchasing gifts for Gruden and special teams coordinator Rich Bisaccia to help break the ice, King was released on March 30, 2018.

For King, everything started to make sense once Gruden's pattern of discrimination came to light.

"That's what I feel like," King told Audacy's "Silver and Black Today" in 2022. "That’s the only way you can be like that towards somebody if you never met them. I don’t know, some people just got hate in their heart."

The Broncos signed King to a three-year contract a week after his release from the Raiders, but his Denver career never got off the ground. King was released in October 2018 after being placed on injured reserve with a thigh injury.

Since then, he has been a nomad. He took his talents to the XFL's St. Louis Battlehawks in 2020 and was leading the league in punting before the season was suspended due to the onset of COVID-19.

He stayed ready during his time away from the gridiron. His commitment paid off in 2023 when he was selected by the XFL's Renegades. He finished second in the league in punting average (46.5 yards per boot) this season, trailing only fellow former NFLer Brad Wing.

MORE: Renegades vs. Defenders odds, prediction, expert betting tips

King may not have returned to the heights he once occupied, but he has left fans with many memories. You can't be mad at that.

"He’s a little different, but he’s a good guy," former teammate Cordarrelle Patterson said, per Raiders Beat. "He was kind of like a diva, but he wasn't. He really didn’t show it that much, but like, he was crazy, man. He had fun, though. I respect him as a person, but he just did things a little different."

Marquette King NFL stats

Year Team Punts Yds Avg TB IN20
2012 Raiders DNP (injured)        
2013 Raiders 84 4,107 48.9 11 23
2014 Raiders 109 4,930 45.2 3 31
2015 Raiders 83 3,697 44.5 4 40
2016 Raiders 81 3,937 48.6 9 34
2017 Raiders 69 3,270 47.4 6 28
2018 Broncos 20 881 44.1 1 7

Marquette King's best celebrations

You can't talk about King without bringing up his post-punt performances. The man was pure theater as he tore things up on the NFL gridiron. Here's some of his best work:

David Suggs

David Suggs Photo

David Suggs is a content producer at The Sporting News. A long-suffering Everton, Wizards and Commanders fan, he has learned to get used to losing over the years. In his free time, he enjoys skateboarding (poorly), listening to the likes of Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye and D’Angelo, and penning short journal entries.