Tag: Matt Araiza

NFL media, fans react to ex-Bills punter Matt Araiza signing with Chiefs

Reaction from the NFL world:

The Kansas City Chiefs have a new punter. Buffalo Bills fans will know him well.

Matt Araiza has signed in Kansas City. The only other place he’s played professionally (in the preseason) is Buffalo.

From there, Araiza, a 2022 sixth-round pick by the Bills, ended up in legal trouble. However, since then, sexual assault allegations were dropped. Not in time to save his career in Buffalo as he was released before the 2022 season, but he’s getting a second chance.

Still, it begs the question, how is this news being reacted to?

Here’s a quick roundup of NFL media and fan reaction to Araiza signing in KC:

Former Bills punter Matt Araiza signs with the Chiefs

Former Buffalo Bills punter Matt Araiza will be signing with the Kansas City Chiefs, according to an announcement by agency on Thursday.

The Buffalo Bills appeared to have plans for punter Matt Araiza when they selected him in the sixth round (180th overall) of the 2022 NFL Draft before he was released due to allegations of sexual assault.

While Araiza’s release made sense at the time, it looks like he’s getting a second chance in the NFL now that the lawsuit against him was dropped.

The Kansas City Chiefs have announced that they have signed him:

Araiza had been a free-agent since before the 2022 season while he dealt with his legal issues off the field.

Araiza was one of five former San Diego State University football players named in a civil lawsuit related to the sexual assault allegations. In response to the lawsuit, he filed a defamation lawsuit against the accuser. However, after some time, Araiza was dropped from the lawsuit by the accuser as he appeared to have no part in the case.

Araiza, nicknamed the “Punt God” during his college days, had a workout with the New York Jets in May 2023, but the team elected not to sign him after the workout. While the Chiefs have had one of the best punters in the league in Tommy Townsend over the past few seasons, he is slated to hit free-agency this offseason so Kansas City could be looking to get ahead of those proceedings by signing Araiza.

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Twitter reacts to Chiefs signing punter Matt Araiza

Users on Twitter reacted to the #Chiefs’ decision to sign punter Matt Araiza on Thursday.

The Kansas City Chiefs signed free agent punter Matt Araiza on Thursday, marking their first significant move of the offseason since winning Super Bowl LVIII.

Araiza, known to his fans as “Punt God”, was a decorated player as a collegian at San Diego State University, earning All-American honors and the Ray Guy Trophy in 2021.

Initially selected by the Buffalo Bills in the sixth round of the 2022 NFL Draft, Araiza’s professional career was nearly ended by a lawsuit that was dismissed in December.

His signing may mark the end of Tommy Townsend’s tenure in Kansas City, which made some fans feel uneasy about the signing when news of his acquisition by the Chiefs broke this week.

Townsend had become a cherished member of Kansas City’s special teams unit and, with his future now unclear, users on Twitter were quick to react to Araiza’s signing.

Check out their top posts about the move below:

Chiefs sign free agent punter Matt Araiza

The #Chiefs signed punter Matt Araiza on Thursday, a move that could mark the end of Tommy Townsend’s time in Kansas City.

With the cloud of a lawsuit behind him, the Kansas City Chiefs intend to sign former 2022 sixth-round pick Matt Araiza on Thursday, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, the team’s first notable move after its victory in Super Bowl LVIII.

Araiza put together an illustrious career at San Diego State that captivated audiences around the country, earning him the nickname “Punt God.”

He was an All-American in college and won the Ray Guy Award as the nation’s best collegiate punter in 2021, leading to his selection by the Buffalo Bills in the sixth round of the 2022 draft.

That summer he was released, however, after being named in a lawsuit alleging the rape of a 17-year-old girl. Araiza was dropped from the lawsuit in December 2023 in exchange for him dropping a defamation lawsuit against her.

All-Pro punter Tommy Townsend isn’t under contract with the Chiefs for the 2024 season, and Araiza’s addition could be an indication that they are moving on.

While it remains to be seen whether Araiza’s golden leg will be as effective as it was in college, his signing on Thursday is a good sign that Kansas City’s coaching staff is comfortable with his ability to at least compete for a starting spot if Townsend re-signs.

Chiefs sign former Bills draft pick, punter Matt Araiza

The Chiefs are bringing in Matt Araiza to compete for their punting job

The Kansas City Chiefs on Thursday signed Matt Araiza, the punter the Buffalo Bills drafted and cut after he was associated with a lawsuit alleging rape while in college at San Diego State.

The lawsuit was dropped in December. The alleged victim identified as “Doe” dropped Araiza from the lawsuit filed in August 2022, while Araiza agreed to dismiss a defamation suit against “Doe” filed in July 2023.

“Thankfully, there was extensive evidence that was key to securing Matt’s voluntary dismissal from this lawsuit,” a statement said after the suit was dropped. “Matt was and has always been innocent. The case is over, and Matt has prevailed.”

Araiza was drafted in the sixth round of the 2022 NFL draft and subsequently cut amid the controversy. The Jets brought him in for a tryout in May but did not sign him.

The punter released a statement.

Current Chiefs punter Tommy Townsend heads into the offseason as an unrestricted free agent.

Lawsuit against former Bills punter Matt Araiza is dropped

Lawsuit against former #Bills punter Matt Araiza is dropped after settlement is reached:

A lawsuit alleging former Buffalo Bills punter Matt Araiza of rape in October 2021 has been dismissed after an agreement was reached with the accuser.

A suit was filed in August 2022 and led to the Bills releasing Araiza amid a storm of backlash. At the 2022 NFL draft, Buffalo selected the punter in the sixth round and awarded him the starting job in training camp only for him to be released a short time later.

According to ESPN who obtained the settlement, the accuser has agreed to drop the suit and Araiza has agreed to drop his countersuit claiming defamation. No money will be exchanged. Araiza has maintained the ability to sue the plaintiff’s attorney, Dan Gilleon, and his law office, and he has retained counsel to do so.

Others named in the lawsuit along with Araiza were not part of the settlement that was reached.

“Matt has always maintained his innocence, despite the public outcry that resulted when he was falsely accused of crimes and civil assault. Thankfully, there was extensive evidence that was key to securing Matt’s voluntary dismissal from this lawsuit,” Araiza’s attorneys said in a statement.

Since his release from the Bills, Araiza has only had one connection to a team. The New York Jets had brought him in for a workout in May 2023 but he did not sign.

Araiza reportedly is hopeful for another opportunity in the NFL.

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Lawsuit against punter Matt Araiza being dropped

A civil lawsuit against one-time Bills punting prospect Matt Araiza has been dropped

The lawsuit against punter Matt Araiza, who was cut by the Buffalo Bills after the legal action, has been dropped.

The civil suit against Araiza, known as the “Punt God,” was is in the process of being dismissed.

Dan Wetzel of Yahoo Sports also reported Araiza will drop his defamation suit against the accuser.

Update:

Per Yahoo:

“The win is bittersweet,” Araiza’s lawyer, Dick Semerdjian, stated. “Matt has been forced to defend himself for the last 16 months against false accusations and a campaign to ruin his career in the NFL. He will never get this time in his life back.”

Araiza has not been signed by any other team after the Bills cut him after the 2022 preseason.

Yahoo reported numerous teams were reluctant to sign Araiza with the civil suit pending.

“We cannot overstate the importance to our system of justice of the presumption of innocence,” Semerdjian stated. “Matt has always maintained his innocence, despite the public outcry that resulted when he was falsely accused of crimes and civil assault. Thankfully, there was extensive evidence that was key to securing Matt’s voluntary dismissal from this lawsuit.

“Matt was and has always been innocent,” Semerdjian continued. “The case is over, and Matt has prevailed. He now has the full intention of returning to the NFL in hopes of resuming a successful punting career.”

 

Ex-Bills punter Matt Araiza files defamation lawsuit against accuser

Ex-#Bills punter Matt Araiza files defamation lawsuit against accuser:

Former Buffalo Bills punter Matt Araiza has filed a defamation lawsuit against the woman who accused him of taking part in a gang rape during his time at San Diego State.

A sixth-round pick by Buffalo in the 2022 NFL draft, Araiza was named in a civil lawsuit filed by the woman. Days after the initial report, Araiza was released by the Bills last August.

In December 2022, San Diego officials announced Araiza would not be charged.

The lawsuit states the woman “knowingly made false statements with a reckless disregard for the truth” to the San Diego Police Department and a number of media outlets.

In an interview with ABC News 10 in San Diego in May, Ariza said he was going to consider bringing forth a lawsuit of his own.

“I’ll be looking to potentially sue her and her attorney after this is all said and done because what has happened isn’t right. You don’t get to just create lies about people and take their career from them, take a year of my life from me,” Araiza said.

According to the San Diego Union-Tribune, it’s unknown how much Ariza is seeking in his lawsuit.

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Former Bills punter Matt Araiza has workout with Jets

Matt Araiza had his first workout with a NFL team, post-Bills: q

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Former Buffalo Bills punter Matt Araiza is having a workout with his old team’s AFC East rival, the New York Jets.

According to Araiza’s representatives, the kicker is having a free-agent workout in New York. That update does not mean he has been signed by anyone just yet.

The latest comes just a few weeks after Araiza’s first public comments on the rape lawsuit he was named in.

In August 2022, Araiza was accused in that civil lawsuit. Only days later, Araiza was released by the Bills. The initial report  only broke a few days after he was named the team’s starting punter.

In December 2022, San Diego officials announced Araiza would not be charged. Then via statement, Araiza spoke on the matter for the first time on May 10, stating he was gratified for the work the San Diego DA’s office conducted.

Last week, Araiza then discussed the Bills for the first time. The punter said he “holds nothing against the Buffalo Bills,” adding that he “wishes things were handled a little differently but [the Bills] did treat him with respect.”

The workout with the Jets is the first one Araiza has had with a team since he was released in Buffalo. The Bills selected Araiza in the sixth round of the 2022 NFL draft.

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Jets to work out punter Matt Araiza

The Jets are working out punter Matt Araiza on Wednesday, his first workout since being cut by the Bills last offseason

The Jets will work out punter Matt Araiza on Wednesday, per his agency JL Sports and reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

Araiza holds the NCAA record for single-season punt average at 51.19 yards. Coincidentally, the previous record holder was former Jets punter and now Steelers punter Braden Mann.

Araiza was drafted in the sixth round of the 2022 NFL Draft by the Buffalo Bills and was set to be the starting punter for them as a rookie. In August, he was accused of gang rape and was subsequently released by the team.

Recently, however, it was found that Araiza was not present at the time of the alleged incident and San Diego State University also concluded there were no findings against him. No charges were filed in the criminal case against him, though a civil case remains ongoing with a trial set for October.

This is Araiza’s first workout with a team since being cut by the Bills last offseason.