MACON, Ga. — It was supposed to be an opportunity for another chance at pro football for Former Central Georgia standout Marquette King, but the chance was cut short without warning.
Back in December, 13WMAZ talked to King about his plans to leap from the NFL to XFL and back to playing for the shield.
That booming sound returned to Wildcat Stadium on Fort Valley State’s campus albeit for a brief night of practice.
Along with that powerful leg is one of Fort Valley States most recent popular football alums, Marquette King who is in the process of making a comeback to professional football.
“Things are going good," King said. “I’ve been through a lot the last couple of months. But it’s all good everything happens for a reason so I’m just taking it all in. I’m learning everything I need to learn while I’m going through the little dark season I had but it’s starting to get brighter.”
King graduated from Rutland High School in Macon in 2008, before enrolling at Fort Valley State developing his all conference special teams skills that would make him one of the top punters in the NFL as a member of the Raiders.
In 2014 he led the league in punting yards and total punts. After 5 years in the black and silver in 2018 he was released by Oakland and picked up by the Denver Broncos, but injuries prevented him from playing. So, he’s sat out the past season staging his comeback as a member of the Saint Louis Battle Hawks in the resurgence of the XFL and King says he couldn’t have been more excited.
“It gives me a chance because when I went what I went through I lost my happiness for the game," King said. “So this will give me a chance to find my happiness, it’s not about money. It’s about happiness and that’s something I lost that I want to get back.”
But just as the new league was starting to take off, the coronavirus grounded the remainder of the season.
Now, King must wait to be crowned again on the big stage but he’s up for the challenge.
“Whats next for the King? You can definitely expect to see me play on Sundays. It was super grounding walking around on the campus, seeing the things I experienced when I was here and it brought me back. Now, it’s just a chance to prepare myself for the second half of my journey," King said.
As for King, even in the shortened season he was voted first team all XFL for his punting skills.
Right now, he’s awaiting the climate of the sports world as he looks to continue making his comeback into the NFL later this summer.
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