Matt Araiza, the former Buffalo Bills punter who the team cut after a woman accused him of rape in 2022, is signing with the Kansas City Chiefs, his agents reported on Twitter.
The Bills cut Araiza in 2022 after an unnamed woman filed a lawsuit alleging he and two of his college teammates gang raped her at San Diego State University in 2021.
CARSON, CA – NOVEMBER 26: Matt Araiza #2 of the San Diego State Aztecs kicks the ball against the Boise State Broncos on November 26, 2021 at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California. (Photo by Tom Hauck/Getty Images)
In December 2022 prosecutors elected not to charge Araiza criminally. In a 200-page transcript obtained by Yahoo Sports, San Diego’s Deputy District Attorney Trisha Amador concluded Araiza couldn’t have participated in the alleged rape because “He wasn’t even at the party anymore.”
We are proud to announce that our client @matt_araiza has signed with the @Chiefs . We are grateful to Brett Veach, coach Reid and the @Chiefs organization for giving Matt this opportunity.
Matt has been to hell and back in the last 18 months. He has handled himself with grace
— JL Sports (@JLSports3) February 22, 2024
Araiza’s accuser dropped her suit in Dec. 2023 in exchange for him dropping his countersuit for defamation, Araiza’s lawyers told Yahoo News. (RELATED: Former College Football Player Arrested For Allegedly Punching Autistic Child In The Face)
In reading as much as I could about this story, I came to one major conclusion: shame on the Buffalo Bills. While the team claims they didn’t know about the police investigation on Araiza when they drafted him in 2022, they did admit to learning of the accusations by July 2022 but didn’t cut him until the news became public in August. Clearly the decision to release him was more of a public relations effort to save face than it was a principled stand against sexual assault.
PITTSFORD, NEW YORK – JULY 24: Matt Araiza #19 of the Buffalo Bills punts during Bills training camp at Saint John Fisher University on July 24, 2022 in Pittsford, New York. Joshua Bessex/Getty Images
Araiza now has a chance to go to a much better team: the reigning Super Bowl champs in the Kansas City Chiefs, who beat the Bills in the playoffs for the second year in a row.
ORCHARD PARK, NEW YORK – JUNE 15: Matt Araiza #19 of the Buffalo Bills smiles during Bills mini camp on June 15, 2022 in Orchard Park, New York. (Photo by Joshua Bessex/Getty Images)
Araiza, the man they call Punt God for his divine boot, will have big shoes to fill as the Chiefs last punter, All-Pro Tommy Townsend, just put on a clinic in the Super Bowl. But it’s a smart move for the Chiefs to get a premier talent in Araiza for what’s likely to be a bargain as Townsend, an unrestricted free agent, will likely command top dollar on the open market.