On March 21, the City of St. Petersburg gave two-time Super Bowl Champion Marquez Valdes-Scantling the key to the city.
BY RAVEN JOY SHONEL | Staff Writer
ST. PETERSBURG — On March 21, the City of St. Petersburg honored two-time Super Bowl champion and native son Marquez Valdes-Scantling with a key to the city for his athletic, entrepreneurial achievements, and humanitarian contributions.
A graduate of Lakewood High School, Valdes-Scantling is not just a rockstar on the football field. He is one of the esteemed founding members of SIK Selection (Successful Innovative Kings), an urban specialty clothing line. He also demonstrates his entrepreneurship acumen as the CEO of Craft Tee LLC, a prominent clothing printing company headquartered in St. Pete.
Valdes-Scantling’s diverse portfolio includes ownership in various ventures and real estate properties, as well as his involvement in a thriving gaming company that continues to captivate audiences worldwide.
The gridiron god recorded 50 receptions for 800 receiving yards and 14 receiving touchdowns as a senior at Lakewood High School. He had an impressive tenure with the Green Bay Packers and was a pivotal player for the Kansas City Chiefs, contributing significantly to their 2023 and 2024 Super Bowl wins. He is also the first USF Bull to catch a touchdown in a Super Bowl.
Left, Gibbs High School head basketball Coach Larry Murphy and two-time Super Bowl champion Marquez Valdes-Scantling both received keys to the city on March 21.
While attending USF, Valdes-Scantling coordinated a backpack giveaway. He asked for donations on social media and was able to distribute 80 backpacks full of toiletries and blankets around Williams Park. Each year, the giveaway got larger and included haircuts, food, clothing (many items from his and his teammates’ closets), and, of course, the tried-and-true backpacks full of toiletries.
Mayor Ken Welch said Valdes-Scantling’s journey from Lakewood High to the NFL is a testament to the power of hard work and perseverance and inspires aspiring athletes and young people everywhere.
“So proud of what you represent, the love that you pour into our young people, and what you represent in terms of the next step: business and community service. You’re doing all the right things,” said Welch.
Valdes-Scantling said receiving the key to the city that raised him is an honor.
“I learned a lot of life lessons early on that prepared me for life no matter where I went. I was prepared for anything that was thrown at me. No matter what adversity I went through in life, I think St. Pete prepared me for that,” he said.
He thanked God, his parents, and his friends for being with him every step of the way. He also advised the younger generation to “have the right people around you and the right support system.”
“So especially for you younger kids that look up to me, y’all doing the right things but make sure you have the right people around you,” he warned. “Having the right people, having the right group of friends, the right family members that don’t want anything from you but are going to support you the right way.”
Valdes-Scantling said he is grateful for the city, everything it has and what it is growing into.
“I’m grateful to be a staple in this city, to have my businesses and to be able to give back to the community. It’s important to me, and I love the Burg!”
