In a not so subtle message to punter Marquette King, Raiders coach Jack Del Rio told reporters Monday that he wasn’t flagged for an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty in his 11-year playing career.
“And now we have two [unsportsmanlike penalties], in back-to-back weeks, from the punter,” Del Rio said.
It’s clear that the coach thinks the punter should turn down the antics.
King is having a great year punting, but he’s also drawn attention for things such as dancing with a penalty flag two weeks ago. Early in the season he was fined for a horse-collar tackle.
Last Thursday at Kansas City, King was flagged for yapping at Tyreek Hill of the Chiefs after Hill scored on a 78-yard punt return. That turned into King yapping at Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce in what became a memorable and funny exchange to most of us, but Del Rio apparently didn’t find it funny.
King, presumably, will get the message that his coach is not happy.