If you close your eyes and think about an NFL punter, what do you see? Probably a quiet guy standing near the bench, someone who comes on for three seconds, kicks a ball, and then disappears back into the shadows of the sideline. Marquette King was not that guy.
Honestly, he was the exact opposite. He was a 6'0", 195-pound athlete with a rocket for a leg and the personality of a Pro Bowl wide receiver. He didn't just punt; he performed. He danced. He trolled. And for a few years in Oakland, he was arguably the most famous special teams player in the league.
Then, suddenly, he wasn't. One day he was an All-Pro for the Raiders, and the next, he was effectively out of the NFL, leaving fans to wonder how a guy with a 46.7-yard career average just... vanished.
The Rise of the KickSquad
Marquette King didn't take the traditional route to the league. He played at Fort Valley State, a small HBCU in Georgia. He was undrafted in 2012. People forget that he spent his entire rookie year on injured reserve while the legendary Shane Lechler finished out his time in Oakland.
When King finally took over in 2013, he didn't just fill Lechler's shoes—he blew them off.
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In his first full season, he led the NFL in gross punting average (48.9 yards). That’s insane for a first-year starter. He wasn't just kicking it far; he was kicking it high. We’re talking about 5-second hang times that made returners rethink their entire career path. By 2014, he led the league in total punting yards with 4,930. He was a weapon.
But the stats only tell half the story. King brought a certain "vibe" to the position that the NFL hadn't really seen before. He’d do the "Pony" dance. He’d "hit them folks" after a coffin-corner kick. He once picked up a penalty flag that a ref threw for roughing the kicker and used it as a prop in a dance. He was the self-proclaimed president of the KickSquad, and Raider Nation loved him for it.
Why the Raiders Really Let Him Go
So, if he was an All-Pro talent (second-team in 2016), why did the Raiders cut him in March 2018?
The timing was suspicious. Jon Gruden had just returned to coach the team, and almost immediately, King was out. At the time, the official line was "personality issues" and "cap space." The Raiders saved nearly $3 million by letting him walk. But we all know $3 million is pocket change for an elite specialist.
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The truth is messier. King has since stated that he never even met Gruden before being released. He was told through General Manager Reggie McKenzie that the new coach just didn't want him there.
There were deeper locker room rifts, too. Remember the chain-snatching incident between Aqib Talib and Michael Crabtree? Later, at a Pro Bowl, King posted a photo with Talib, jokingly pretending to have his own chain snatched. In a hyper-competitive locker room like the Raiders', that didn't sit well. Teammates like Bruce Irvin were vocal about it. To them, it looked like King cared more about his brand and social media "clout" than his teammates.
He was a "Diva Punter." In the NFL, you can be a diva if you’re scoring 15 touchdowns a year. If you’re a punter? You’re expected to be invisible unless you’re pinning someone at the one-yard line.
The "Blackballed" Reality and the UFL Era
After Oakland, King had a short, injury-plagued stint with the Denver Broncos in 2018. He played four games, hurt his thigh, and was released. That was it for his NFL career.
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It’s been years now, and King hasn't been shy about saying he feels "blackballed." He’s pointed out that his stats are better than half the punters currently in the league. And he’s not exactly wrong. His career average of 46.7 yards is elite.
Instead of sitting on the couch, King took his talents to spring football. He became a star in the XFL and later the UFL with the Arlington Renegades. In 2024, he was named to the All-UFL Team, proving that the leg strength is still there. He even ripped off a 37-yard run on a fake punt in 2025.
Life Beyond the Gridiron
Marquette isn't just a football player anymore. He’s leaned heavily into his creative side.
- Music: He’s a producer and artist, releasing tracks like "I Can Kick a Ball."
- Mental Health: He’s spoken openly about the dark times after leaving the NFL, admitting he struggled with anger and depression when he felt the league turned its back on him.
- Technique: He still posts tutorials online, showing kids the "drop" mechanics that made him a Pro Bowler.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Athletes
What can we actually learn from the Marquette King saga? It’s a fascinating case study in professional sports culture.
- Talent vs. Friction: In any job, but especially in the NFL, your talent has to outweigh the "headache" you cause. King was an elite punter, but the NFL is a conservative machine. If you're a specialist, being "loud" is a high-risk strategy.
- Locker Room Optics Matter: The photo with Talib is the biggest takeaway. Even if it was "just a joke," your loyalty to your teammates is your social currency in sports. Once you lose that, you're on an island.
- Spring Leagues are Real Second Acts: If you feel like you've been unfairly treated by a major industry, look for the "startup" version. The UFL gave King a platform to prove he wasn't "washed," even if the NFL hasn't called back yet.
If you’re a Raiders fan, you probably still miss those booming 70-yard punts that flipped the field. If you’re a hater, you probably think he got what he deserved for the "shenanigans." Regardless, the NFL is a lot less colorful without him standing on that 4th-and-long line.
To keep up with his current stats or hear his latest music, you can follow his "KickSquad" updates on social media, where he remains as vocal and unapologetic as ever.