Marquez Valdes-Scantling: From Buccaneers fan to competitor
TAMPA, Fla. - Here's how it started for Marquez Valdes-Scantling. He was just a little boy who loved football and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
"My father was a Bucs fan, his father was a Bucs fan, so it was the home team local tradition," explained his father, Marcellus Scantling.
Here's how it's going. Valdes-Scantling, a former University of South Florida football star and now a wide receiver with the Green Bay Packers, became a barrier between his favorite team growing up and the Super Bowl during the NFC Championship.
For his biggest fans, his parents, it was a heart stopper.
Marquez Valdes-Scantling as a (very) young Bucs fan. (Family photo)
"I was stressing because I knew how bad he wanted this win and I could feel the intensity of the game as I saw him play," said his mother Tahisia.
And even though he was taking on the Bucs in a championship game, for Marquez, it was business as usual.
Marquez Valdes-Scantling today. (Courtesy Evan Siegle / Green Bay Packers)
"It's about the Packers and what the Packers need to do what he needs to do to improve his game to help the offense be better and help the Packers organization be better," said Marcellus.
It wasn't the ending that the Scantlings hoped for.
"He wasn't prepared to come back home; he was prepared to come back to play in the Super Bowl," said Tahisia.
"Unfortunately they're not playing in the Super Bowl here in Tampa, but you know, maybe next time," offered Marcellus.
Featured
NFL star returns to Tampa to make a difference for homeless citizens
Green Bay Packer wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling is used to the spotlight. The former University of South Florida star is using his fame to proved people with life necessities.
And while he may have lost the chance to play in the Super Bowl to the Bucs, they haven't lost him as a fan.
"I think he's going for the Bucs. He loves this city, he loves this town. If he could be here as a Buc player, I'm sure he would love that opportunity as well," Tahisia added.