Originally a WR in college at Fort Valley State, Marquette hit the field as a punter in his Junior year.
He’d go undrafted in 2012 after an outstanding Senior campaign where he netted All-First Team in the SIAC.
King signed with the Raiders post draft and provided a camp leg for the team while Shane Lechler rehabbed an injury.
The Raiders stashed King on IR during his rookie year.
With Lechler signing with the Texans in 2013, Marquette won the job outright in camp.
Marquette had an exceptional debut, leading the league in with a 48.9 gross yards per punt.
He’d then follow his debut up with leading the NFL in various categories and setting franchise records with 4,930 yards on 109 punts in 2014.
Marquette played with the Raiders through 2017.
He signed with the Broncos in 2018.
Cut midway through the season with an injury settlement.
Signed with the XFL in 2020, playing for the St. Louis Battlehawks.
Had 19 punts for 868 yards before the league terminated after week 5 due to COVID.
Returned again to the XFL in 2023 where he was selected by the Arlington Renegades.
Finished year with 40 punts for 1816 yards and a 45.4 yard average as Renegades captured XFL Championship.
Played again in 2024 for the Renegades and had 28 punts for 1368 yards.
ACCOLADES:
Second Team All Pro 2016
All UFL 2024
NOTES:
Marquette was the first player to come over before the XFL Championship game. Kids swarmed me, as they know King as a combination of a streamer and an athlete. He left me for last and thanked me for being a fan while signing the card.
Marquette has a very unique autograph. I’ve never seen anything really like it. It’s pretty artistic with the dots and the straight line on the end there. I think it’s supposed to be a king’s crown.
I’m not sure why Marquette didn’t get another shot at the NFL. Maybe he just got too expensive for his own market. Maybe it was because he showboated after making a great punt. Maybe he got bad press from his former teammates on the Raiders.
Marquette recently also provided the 2024 UFL Championship game with its halftime entertainment as he’s a musician as well.
Channing suited up for the Seattle Sea Dragons of the XFL in 2020.
After the league folded due to COVID, he returned to the CFL and the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, whom he’d been with briefly before signing with the XFL.
In 2022, he played for the Philadelphia Stars of the USFL.
He’d intercept 7 passes for 121 yards and make 14 tackles.
Afterwards, briefly was on the offseason roster of the Washington Commanders.
Although drafted by the Battlehawks of the XFL 23, Stribling opted to resign with the Stars.
With the USFL and XFL merged, Stribling was drafted by the Birmingham Stallions in the 2024 player dispersal draft.
Ultimately ended up on the roster of the Battlehawks- but was cut during the regular season.
NOTES:
Channing was on a shortlist of players I really wanted since he was impossible to get TTM and he had… four(?) cards I was looking to get signed. Since players didn’t really pay any attention to me pregame, I decided to troll the Battlehawks players.
I yelled at Channing that he wasn’t fooling anyone, since he changed his number from 41 to 14. (Wikipedia even showed it as 41.) I then heckled him about his time with the Express. He smiled and after the game gladly came over and inked these 4 cards. When he looked at them, he called them ‘classic’.
CARDS: Topps XFL 2020 GREEN 43/99, Topps XFL 2020 Stars of the Future, Topps NOW 2020 2.16.20, Topps NOW 2020 2.9.20, TNT XFL 2023 ACQUIRED: In Person, 2023 San Antonio Brahmas v Washington Defenders. IP, 2024 San Antonio Brahmas v Washington Defenders. FAILURE: TTM 2020, C/o The Kansas City Chiefs
CAREER SNAPSHOT:
Jordan Ta’Amu played college ball for Ole Miss from 2017-’18.
In 2 years he was 381/591 for 5,600 yards, 30 TDs and 12 picks.
Based on his limited resume at QB he went unselected in the 2019 NFL Draft.
He was a camp arm for the Texans that year for roughly the month of August.
Afterwards he decided to try his hand in the XFL in 2020 and was selected by the St. Louis Battlehawks.
He had an exceptional start to his season, showing poise with his arm and opportunistic legs, but before he could finish his season, the XFL ended due to COVID.
Signed with the Chiefs in April of ’20, and was a member of the practice squad through October.
Joined the Lions PS, but was resigned to the Chiefs in ’21 through a futures contract.
Jordan had cups of coffee with the Lions (again), Redskins, and Panthers, before landing with the Tampa Bay Bandits of the USFL in 2022.
He finished as the league’s leader in passing yards (2,014) and TDs (14).
Ta’amu joined the XFL23 as a member of the DC Defenders.
He’d lead the team to the XFL Championship game, throwing for 1,894 yards and 14 TDs.
In August of 2023, he’d again be brought in briefly- this time by the Minnesota Vikings.
As a late addition, Jordan returned to the Defenders for the 2024 season.
He finished with 1,846 yards passing, and 15 TDs- both ranking second in the UFL.
Topps XFL NOW 2020, #11Topps XFL NOW 2020, #7
ACCOLADES:
XFL Offensive Player of the Year 2023
All-XFL 2023
NOTES:
Before the game I had spotted the Ta’Amu family wearing matching jerseys. I keyed in on them figuring that they’d know where to go to be able to get close enough to get his autograph. After the game the Defenders were lingering after their victory so I wandered over to their side and picked up an autograph from Santos Ramirez. The gatekeepers of the Alamodome were getting more aggressive about telling me to leave but I ignored them as long as possible. Santos was shocked he had a card so I gambled he wouldn’t mind slipping over to get Jordan on his base card.
After I secured the autograph much to Santos’ credit, I went outside and found the team busses. His family was waiting outside there and told me that he wouldn’t have a problem signing the rest of my cards if I just hung out long enough. We talked about his career and they told me that he’d hoped to have played closer to Texas than Washington but he was happy to be playing. They all admired his limited print Topps XFL NOW 2020 cards- and when he came out he said hello to them and he signed the remaining cards including an additional one I gifted to my friend Mark- of Mark’s Signing Bonus. A big win for me as Ta’Amu doesn’t sign TTM.
In 2024, the Brahmas first game was against the Defenders at home. I printed out my custom XFL card and was able to get him to sign it before the game started. It was I think the only one I got signed that day, and although disappointed with the lack of a haul I got, I was happy with getting this one gem.
If I’m very lucky maybe I’ll pick up that final short run Topps NOW XFL 2023 (#22) card of him and get him to sign that too but it’s been on and off the market so many times, I’ve forgotten to purchase it.
Celebrating the game, the players, the cards, and the autographs for over 25 years.
