Bills Central

Marquette King Asks Bills to Sign Him After Punter Matt Araiza Release

King hasn't played in the NFL since 2018.

Jeremy Brener

Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
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The Buffalo Bills are in need of a new punter after releasing rookie Matt Araiza Saturday evening.

Araiza, a sixth-round pick from San Diego State, was released days after a civil lawsuit was filed against him that accused the 22-year-old of a gang rape of a 17-year-old back in October 2021.

Said Bills GM Brandon Beane: "We tried to be thorough and thoughtful and not rush to judgment, and I would say it's not easy. You're trying to put facts around a legal situation sometimes with limited information.

"This is bigger than football.”

The Bills will be in the market to replace Araiza, who won the starting job over veteran Matt Haack last week. But a former All-Pro punter is raising his hand and wants to be part of the Bills.

Marquette King, one of the few Black punters in NFL history, took to social media to express his interest in joining the Bills.

King entered the league in 2012 with the then-Oakland Raiders as an undrafted free agent from Fort Valley State. He led the league in punting yards in 2014 and made Second Team All-Pro in 2016. He spent six seasons with the Raiders and one with the Denver Broncos in 2018, but hasn't played in the NFL since.

King returned to football in 2020 with the XFL's St. Louis Battlehawks, but the league suspended operations after the COVID-19 pandemic.

All King wants is a shot to be part of something special, and he might be what the Bills are looking for.

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Jeremy Brener
JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.

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