ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Marquez Valdes-Scantling is about to compete on the biggest stage of his life.

“It means everything, from not making my team as a freshman to playing in the Super Bowl, it’s a dream come true,” he said.

What You Need To Know

  • Marquez Valdes-Scantling grew up in St. Petersburg, played football at Lakewood High School before attending the University of South Florida

  • He is coming off the game of his career against the Cincinnati Bengals on Jan. 29 where he caught six passes for 116 yards and a touchdown

  • His parents say he was considered an underdog growing up

Valdes-Scantling is coming off the game of his career against the Cincinnati Bengals on Jan. 29 where he caught six passes for 116 yards and a touchdown.

But his parents will tell you his road to the NFL was full of twists and turns, starting on a St. Petersburg Little League field.

“It’s never been easy for him — he’s had to work hard, he’s always been behind somebody, he’s always lived in the shadows,” Tahisia Scantling said of her son’s journey.

His father, Marcellus said the adversity lit a fire that has fueled his son's career.

“He took that hurt that he had inside and fueled it into a positive," he said. "Do it for yourself, always continue to push yourself, always continue to prove to yourself that you can do better.”

The Lakewood High School grad has done that time and time again, finding success in college playing for the University of South Florida before playing four seasons in Green Bay.

This March he signed a 3-year, $30 million contract with the Chiefs and has become one of quarterback Patrick Mahomes' top targets.

“He’s just grown throughout his entire process, and it’s been amazing watching his journey,” said Lakewood High head football coach Cory Moore.

Moore coached Valdes-Scantling for four years in high school and says his work ethic was second to none.

“He was in a position where he had to work behind some really, really good receivers," Moore said. "He had a lot of good guys he had to play behind, he didn’t whine, he didn’t complain, he worked.

"He worked when he didn’t feel like it, he worked when he didn’t get pats on the back, he worked when the ball didn’t come his way.”

Moore said Valdes-Scantling possessed a self-motivation that paved the way for the success he found in his career.

“The thing about Marquez is, a lot of people see where he is now, but he’s come from a place where he legitimately had to overcome the odds,” Moore said. “He had to work on becoming the fastest, he had to work on being the strongest, and he would not accept being second.”

Valdes-Scanting embraced a certain mindset, and his mom said he never lost sight of his dream.

“I think he learned that it’s OK," Tahisia Scantling said. "When it’s your time, you’ll have your time to shine, you just keep working, don’t give up, keep working. You’ll have your day.”

Valdes-Scanting is having his day now, as he prepares to play on football’s biggest stage.

“I want it to motivate kids out there who were in the same position as me, not making it or not good enough, or being doubted, I love that,” said Valdes-Scantling.