NFL
Sign in to your GiveMeSport account
Highlights
- Marquette King seeks an NFL return after success in the UFL.
- King’s 46.7 yards per punt career average ranks 11th in NFL history.
- His departure from the Raiders was linked to a feud with Jon Gruden.
Early in his career, it looked like Marquette King would be kicking for the Las Vegas Raiders for many years. But the punter’s last season came with the Denver Broncos in 2018. After a successful season in the United Football League, King is looking to get back into the league. He recently posted a video of him kicking on X, writing:
You can’t tell me that there are 32 punters better than me. All UFL Punter in a league where punting isn’t easy at all! I’m manifesting a call from an NFL team again soon… by the way what was the hang on this?
It wouldn’t be easy for any former NFL player to get back into the league after five years off, but King’s case is slightly different. The punter position obviously has less wear and tear than other spots on the field. King is still only 35 years old and showed in the UFL that he still has a strong leg.
Related
The 10 Highest-Paid Punters in the NFL, Ranked by AAV
Even the NFL’s highest-paid punters are on reasonably affordable contracts.
King Was Still Punting at a High Level When Leaving the League
He blamed his departure from the Raiders on a feud with Jon Gruden
After going undrafted in 2012, King, who attended Fort Valley State, signed as a free agent with the Raiders. While he missed his first year with injury, the team kept him on the roster. He showed them they made the right decision during the 2013 season when he led the NFL in average yards per punter.
King would earn more accolades during his time with the Raiders and was named a second-team All Pro in 2016. He was cut by the Raiders in 2018, when Jon Gruden was hired by the team. The punter would later say of his release during a podcast appearance, “I never met the guy [Gruden] before. I never talked to him. … I never got a chance to meet any of them. I never got a chance to talk to any of them. It was just the weirdest thing ever. It actually kind of hurt. It felt like a loss.”
King would sign with the Broncos but would only play for the team for four games before being released. He has not been able to make it back into the NFL but has continued to play professional football. His most recent experience comes with the Arlington Renegades in the UFL, where he was recently named to the all-UFL Team.
Source: Marquette King
All statistics are courtesy of Pro Football Reference unless otherwise noted.
Related
Ranking the Top 10 Current NFL Punters
These 10 punters have been critical to their teams’ fight in the field position battle.
