Former Las Vegas Raiders punter Marquette King has finally given up his dream of returning to the league and believes the NFL is a huge culprit for his failed attempts to play again due to racial discrimination.
King took to Twitter and revealed his true feelings about the matter:
“Not calling it a career just settling with the fact that I haven’t been able to get another fair opportunity,” the ex-Raiders punter wrote. “I haven’t officially retired I’m just not fighting to get in a league that ignores the resume I’ve created that’s better that over half of the punters in the NFL.”
“I tried but it’s a lot of brothers still not getting fair opportunity as well in the League as punters n kickers. Some of the ones that got a shot I’n preseason would hit me but me but what could I say? I was cut with a successful resume,” King wrote.
King played for the Raiders from 2013-2017, even leading the NFL in 2014 in total punts and yards. He punted over 3,000 yards in each and every season with Las Vegas (Oakland at the time) before getting a three-year deal with the Denver Broncos in 2018, playing in just four games before reaching an injury settlement.
As King noted, there have only been six African-American punters to play in the NFL since 1920 and he was arguably one of the best, yet he wasn’t given another opportunity.
A real shame for Marquette King. After three years out of the league, it’s very unlikely he returns at this point.
