Former Packers cornerback Kevin King returns to NFL, signs with Falcons
Kevin King is back in the NFL after being away for two years. On Monday, the Atlanta Falcons announced they signed the veteran cornerback to a contract. King, 28, previously played for the Green Bay Packers from 2017-21.
In 2022, King sat out the season due to personal reasons. He was planning to return in 2023 but suffered a torn Achilles tendon during an offseason workout. In May last year, King released a video explaining why he took time off in 2022.
“After my fifth year with the Packers, I was actually pretty healthy. It was a time when I felt pretty good for the first time in a while. My first four years I had surgery after every year so I didn’t have much of a chance to have an offseason,” King said, per Pro Football Talk. “They don’t really talk about the wear and tear on you mentally that it does, dealing with injuries.”
Kevin King’s career with the Packers
In 2017, the Packers selected King in the second round of the NFL Draft. In his five seasons with the Packers, King recorded 197 tackles, one sack, seven interceptions and 30 passes defended. His best season was in 2019 when he tallied 56 tackles, one sack, five interceptions and 15 passes defended.
Before the 2021 season, King signed a one-year, $6 million contract with the Packers. He struggled due to inconsistent play and injuries and finished with one interception and three passes defended in 10 games.
Before the 2021 season, King talked to reporters about the Packers drafting his potential replacement with first-round pick Eric Stokes. “People ask me that a lot, ‘Oh, did you think they would draft a corner?’ It’s like, honestly, I don’t even think too much into it,” King said, per Sports Illustrated.
“The year after I got drafted, they drafted Jaire (Alexander) and Josh (Jackson) back-to-back, you know what I’m saying? But, honestly, that really doesn’t have anything to do with me, so that’s really how I look at it. I don’t think no one can take from me what God has in store for me.”
King played college football for the Washington Huskies from 2013-2016. During his senior season, King played in every game and finished with 44 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss and two interceptions. He now joins a Falcons team that includes a new starting quarterback in Kirk Cousins and a new head coach in Raheem Morris.