XFL signs former All-Pro NFL player
Aug 12, 2017; Glendale, AZ, USA; Oakland Raiders punter Marquette King (7) reacts against the Arizona Cardinals at University of Phoenix Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Marquette King will be returning to professional football in 2023.
The former star NFL punter announced on Twitter Tuesday that he accepted an invitation to join the 2023 XFL Draft Player Pool.
King’s tweet included a video of what appeared to be an email from XFL president Russ Brandon thanking King for accepting the league’s invitation.
“Had to make sure I was in the right state of mind before I committed to this,” King wrote. “I’m all IN! @XFL2023.”
Had to make sure I was in the right state of mind before I committed to this. I’m all IN! @XFL2023 😤 pic.twitter.com/44v7hYy2E1
— Marquette King (@MarquetteKing) August 9, 2022
On Saturday, King tweeted that he was going to be in the XFL in February. The league is set to kick off its season on February 18.
🤍🙏🏾 thanks bro. I’ll be in the XFL in February 🙌🏾 let’s hope I don’t make a hit song before then tho 💿👀 https://t.co/YwQinIhUPn
— Marquette King (@MarquetteKing) August 6, 2022
The 33-year-old has played in the XFL before. During the league’s prior attempt at a comeback in 2020, King played for the St. Louis Battlehawks and led the league in punting yards.
King has not played in the NFL since 2018 despite having one of the more powerful legs among all punters during his six-year career. In four seasons with the then-Oakland Raiders, King averaged 46.8 yards per punt and had 19,941 total yards. In 2013, he led the NFL with an average of 48.9 yards per punt. In 2014, King led the league in both total punts (109) and yards (4,930).
After the Raiders released King in March 2018, he played in four games for the Denver Broncos the following season.