Marquette King is, without a doubt, the breakout star of the 2016 NFL season. And that might be a little difficult to believe for a punter like King. Yet, looking at Super Bowl 51 betting lines, this is one star that everyone is watching.
In a season that just hasn’t delivered, King has somehow made punting fun. For once, none of the comments being made about Punters are ironic. The Oakland/Broncos game, in particular, highlighted King’s talent.
Fans watched as the Broncos were pinned inside the 5 with a third quarter boot by King, who then did the unexpected. And you have to keep in mind just how many breakout stars the first-place Raiders team keeps producing.
In a team already flush with stars, King somehow still standouts. When the likes of Khalil Mack, Amari Cooper and Dereck Carr floundered, it was King who leaped to the rescue, exciting spectators with his punts.
King just makes punting so much fun, so much so that it is all people look for these days during a Raiders’ game. Back in 2012, during King’s first preseason game, the presence of a black punter suggested to the opposing team that a fake punt was coming.
King, everyone presumed, had to be a wide receiver or quarterback in disguise. King surprised them all by simply doing what he was supposed to do, booting the ball deep down the field. King is a self-made man. He taught himself how to punt.
There are no punting camps that can lay claim to his skill. King has always loved kicking balls hard, and that is what he nurtured. The fact that King seems to elicit so much joy from his job explains why he is performing so well.
His passion shines through, and people love watching NFL stars that actually enjoy what they do. The absence of fun has made the league a less enticing place to be. In fact, it almost seems like the NFL has endeavored to remove fun from the league as a whole.
King is slowly bringing fun back into the league. This is one player that really loves what he does. For King, punting is almost like a celebration. You rarely see fans cheer when punters step onto the field.
It just doesn’t happen. They are unable to elicit the necessary excitement. In fact, you only hear about punters when they completely fail. Otherwise, Punters just don’t shine in the average game.
As such, King is definitely something special. There is a joy to his actions on the field. Everyone just loves watching him pursue his passion. His swag and relaxed demeanor only make him that much cooler.
Now, there are children that actually want to be punters, all because of King’s actions. King is probably the only hope for a season that most think has been a little too lackluster and dour.
If King can inspire other players to approach their roles with as much passion and energy, then maybe this season won’t be a completely lost cause. Maybe King can give the 2016 Season the life it requires to entice NFL fans once more.
