For most high school students, the highlight of a football game is the roar of the crowd after a touchdown, a big interception, a tackle. For Marquis (12) and Malakhi Payne (11), it’s something a little more personal. Getting to do all of it side by side.
From backyards to packed bleachers, football has been a constant in the Payne brothers’ lives since they were little. What began as simple games has grown into something much deeper—a bond built on trust, pride, and brotherhood.
“We get to share moments together,” Malakhi said. “It’s pretty fun to just be out there and see him do good things, see me doing the same good things for the same exact team, inside the same exact game.”
That shared experience has brought them closer, not just as athletes, but as brothers. Being able to see how hard Malakhi works every day to improve as a player brings a smile to Marquis’s face.
“My favorite thing to see is how far he’s come as a football player,” Marquis said. “Not only as a player, but as an individual. I’m pretty proud of him.”
Malakhi has rushed 1,892 yards and scored 15 touchdowns throughout the nine games they have played thus far in the season, ranking him twelfth in the state.
While Malakhi has been seen as a standout this season, Marquis plays a big role as a defensive back as well. Since that position doesn’t focus on scoring, it made his first-ever touchdown extremely special. A moment that is burned into his brother’s memory forever.
“I was on the other side of the field just yelling his name and waving him over to come across the field to score the touchdown,” Malakhi said. “I was like, ‘He’s going to score this!’ I was pretty excited. I ran over and jumped on him.”
These memories strengthen the bond between them. Each game day is a new opportunity for new plays to remember, emotional moments, and more victories to celebrate.
“My favorite person to celebrate with is definitely my brother,” Marquis said. “I want to get more opportunities to get some more offensive time, so we can do more celebrations together this year.”
Behind the highlights, there is endless hard work. The brothers spend hours at practice pushing each other, running drills, breaking down plays, and holding each other accountable.
“I always go to my brother and ask him what I’m doing wrong,” Marquis said. “If he can’t tell me, I’ll go to my position coaches. I’m always looking to improve.”
Malakhi approaches the game with the same determination but keeps his focus forward no matter what happens on the field.
“I like to keep my memory of bad plays short,” Malakhi said. “I’m just like, ‘alright, I messed up. Move on to the next play and make up for it.’”
Still, what keeps the brothers going comes from who they look up to on and off the field. For Marquis, that’s his cousin Anthony, who taught him what it means to play with passion and toughness.
“My cousin Anthony played division one,” Marquis said. “Seeing him go out there and do his thing amazed me with the sport.”
That influence didn’t just light a spark for Marquis’s love for football, but fueled the mindset he carries every time he steps on the field. For him, football isn’t just competition: it’s motivation, therapy, and liberation all at once.
“I’m gonna go to practice to tear something up. That was my way to get my mood straight,” Marquis said. “I’d go to the field and it lights me up no matter where we’re at. That’s how I like to look at it, because my motivator is lighting people up.”
For Malakhi, that guidance came from Mychal Rivera, a coach for the Monarch football team, who has been by his side since he first started playing.
“Coach Myke finally put me in, and he’s also been my coach my whole life now,” Malakhi said. “He put me in the game on defense. I had about 15 penalties in that game. I was not playing by the rules. From then on, the coach was like, I don’t know what I’m gonna do with this kid.”
Over time, Rivera’s constant presence and tough love in Malakhi’s life has set up his unbreakable mindset and maturity as a player.
“He’s been my mentor, getting my head right before games, fixing my attitude on the field, and fixing my attitude in practice. He’s been that guy for me,” Malakhi said. “He’s been the person that keeps me going out there and keeps me honest to myself.”
As the season goes on, the brothers share a mindset: Win or lose, they are going to fight until the very last play, pushing each other to be better teammates and players every single day.
“One thing that is uncommon is we’re gonna win, because we’re gonna fight no matter the last play, and that’s all that matters,” Marquis said. “If I ever have to check him on that, it’s always gonna be to play harder. Stop being scared, and he’ll say the same thing to me.”
