Marquez Valdes-Scantling

Marquez Reshard Valdes-Scantling (born October 10, 1994), also known by his initials MVS, is an American football wide receiver for the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at NC State and South Florida, and was selected by the Green Bay Packers in the fifth round of the 2018 NFL Draft. He joined the Kansas City Chiefs in 2022, where he won Super Bowl LVII and Super Bowl LVIII in his two seasons with the team.

Early life
Valdes-Scantling attended and played high school football at Lakewood High School. He recorded 50 receptions for 800 receiving yards and 14 receiving touchdowns as a senior.

College career
Valdes-Scantling played college football at NC State from 2013 to 2014 and South Florida from 2015 to 2017. He had to sit out the 2015 season due to transfer rules.

2018
Valdes-Scantling was selected by the Green Bay Packers with the 174th overall pick in the fifth round of the 2018 NFL Draft. He signed his rookie contract on May 7, 2018. He made his NFL debut in the Packers' season opener against the Chicago Bears on September 9, 2018, recording a 21-yard kick return in the 24–23 victory. He recorded his first professional reception in the following game against the Minnesota Vikings. He started his first career game in place of the injured Randall Cobb in a Week 4 win over the Buffalo Bills, catching one pass for 38 yards. Still starting in place of Cobb during a Week 5 loss to the Detroit Lions, Valdes-Scantling had a breakout performance, notching seven receptions for 68 yards and a touchdown. He followed that up with a three-catch, 103-yard performance during a Week 6 win over the San Francisco 49ers. On October 28, 2018, in a 27–29 loss to the Los Angeles Rams, he had two receptions for 45 yards, including a 40-yard receiving touchdown. The following week, a 17–31 loss to the New England Patriots, he had three receptions for 101 yards. Overall, he finished his rookie season with 38 receptions for 581 receiving yards and two receiving touchdowns. He finished seventh among rookies in receiving yards.

2019
In Week 3 against the Denver Broncos, Valdes-Scantling caught six passes for 99 yards and his first receiving touchdown of the season as the Packers won 27–16. During Week 7 against the Oakland Raiders, Valdes-Scantling finished with two catches for 133 receiving yards, including a 74-yard touchdown as the Packers won 42–24. Overall, Valdes-Scatling finished the 2019 season with 26 receptions for 452 receiving yards and two receiving touchdowns.

2020
In Week 1 against the Vikings, Valdes-Scantling caught four passes for 96 yards and his first touchdown of the season during the 43–34 win. In Week 9 against the 49ers on Thursday Night Football, he had two receptions for 53 receiving yards and two touchdowns in the 34–17 victory. In Week 10, against the Jacksonville Jaguars, he had four receptions for 149 receiving yards, including a 78-yard receiving touchdown, during the 24–20 win. In Week 11 against the Indianapolis Colts, Valdes-Scantling recorded a key 47-yard catch on a late fourth quarter drive that resulted in a game-tying field goal by Mason Crosby. However, he also lost a fumble on the Packers' second play in overtime, allowing the Colts to kick the game-winning field goal. Valdes-Scantling later tweeted that he received death threats after the game.

In the NFC Championship against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Valdes-Scantling recorded four catches for 115 yards and a touchdown during the 31–26 loss.

2021
Valdes-Scantling was placed on injured reserve on October 2, 2021. He was activated from injured reserve on November 6, 2021. In Week 11, against the Vikings, he had four receptions for 123 yards and a touchdown in the 34–31 loss. He finished the 2021 season with 26 receptions for 430 receiving yards and three receiving touchdowns.

2022
On March 24, 2022, Valdes-Scantling signed a three-year, $30 million contract with the Kansas City Chiefs. In Week 7, against the 49ers, he had three receptions for 111 yards in the 44–23 victory. In the 2022 regular season, he had 42 receptions for 687 receiving yards and two receiving touchdowns in 17 games, of which he started 11. In the AFC Championship Game, Valdes-Scantling caught six passes for 116 yards and a touchdown helping the Chiefs defeat the Cincinnati Bengals 23–20. Valdes-Scantling won his first Super Bowl championship in the 38–35 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LVII. He was targeted once with no receptions in the game.

2023
Valdes-Scantling caught a career-low 21 passes for 315 yards and just one touchdown in the 2023 regular season. In the AFC Championship Game against the Baltimore Ravens, Valdes-Scantling caught a 32-yard pass on third down right before the two-minute warning, allowing the Chiefs to run out the rest of the clock and beat the Ravens 17–10. In Super Bowl LVIII, Valdes-Scantling had three receptions for 20 yards and a touchdown in the Chiefs 25–22 victory over the San Francisco 49ers. On February 28, 2024, he was released.

Buffalo Bills
On May 14, 2024, Valdes-Scantling signed a one-year contract with the Buffalo Bills.