Tag: Matt Araiza

Bills QB Matt Barkley uncorks a 53-yard punt (you read that right)

Matt Barkley had a 53-yard punt for the #Bills: True story. The video here:

You have to see it to believe it.

Bills quarterback Matt Barkley officially became a punter in the NFL after he booted the ball for his team against the Panthers in their third preseason game.

Following the team’s punter being named in a civil lawsuit in California that accuses him of raping a 17-year-old girl last year, he did not play for the Bills.

Barkley’s first kick went a modest 33 yards.

He then following it up with a boom–Seriously.

Barkley kicked the 53 yards. Technically, it was a coffin corner, too. Barkley kept the Panthers inside their 10-yard line.

What a moment despite some tough circumstances.

Check out the 53 yards in the clip below:

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Bills’ Matt Araiza releases statement on lawsuit, claims innocence

#Bills’ Matt Araiza releases statement on lawsuit, claims innocence:

Buffalo Bills punter Matt Araiza has released a statement on the lawsuit he was cited in via his legal representatives.

Sending a message to NFL insiders, Araiza commented that the “facts of the incident” are not correct.

Here is the message via ESPN’s Adam Schefter:

Araiza’s representatives sent out the statement during the middle of the Bills’ preseason game on Friday against the Carolina Panthers. Araiza was at the stadium, but did not play.

Araiza was one of three men named in a civil lawsuit on Thursday that accuses him of raping a 17-year-old girl last year while he attended San Diego State.

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It happened: Matt Barkley punts for Bills vs. Panthers (video)

The #Bills really had Matt Barkley punt it… and he wasn’t that bad:

Buffalo Bills quarterback Matt Barkley is officially a punter in the NFL.

On Friday as the Bills took on the Carolina Panthers in their third and final preseason game, Matt Araiza did not play. A day prior, Araiza was named in a civil lawsuit in California that accuses him of raping a 17-year-old girl last year.

In a pinch, the Bills turned things over the Barkley.

During warmups, Barkley was spotted kicking the ball. Buffalo might have preferred to not toss Barkley out there, but on a 4th and 10, the Bills were left will little choice.

And heck, Barkley booted it 33 yards…

Check out Barkley’s first-ever boot in the NFL below:

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Bills backup quarterback Matt Barkley pulls off 33-yard punt vs. Panthers

The Bills were short a punter for obvious reasons against the Panthers, so quarterback Matt Barkley filled in with aplomb.

For obvious reasons, the Buffalo Bills were scrambling to fill their punter position in Friday night’s preseason finale against the Carolina Panthers. Rookie sixth-round pick Matt Araiza is one of three current or former San Diego State football players named in a recent lawsuit accused of rape, false imprisonment and gender-violence crimes. The Bills have kept Araiza on the roster for whatever reason, but announced that he would not be punting against the Panthers.

That led to a round-robin in which safety Micah Hyde, and backup quarterbacks Case Keenum and Matt Barkley, competed to see who would replace Araiza, at least for this game. The Bills cut punter Matt Haack on Monday, even after they knew of the lawsuit.

Barkley won out, and he didn’t look awful in his NFL punting debut.

Perhaps this proves that as much as special teams are valuable, no punter is worth keeping on a roster if he carries a poisonous past.

Matt Barkley, Case Keenum, Micah Hyde all warm up to potentially replace Matt Araiza

Matt Barkley, punter for the #Bills?!

The Buffalo Bills will not have punter Matt Araiza in the lineup against the Carolina Panthers on Friday. The team is in Charlotte for their third and final preseason game of 2022.

Araiza is in the building at Bank of America Stadium, however, reports indicate he will not play.

That comes after Araiza was named in a civil lawsuit in California on Thursday which accuses him of raping a 17-year-old girl last year while he attended San Diego State.

Without the punter, some might point toward placekicker Tyler Bass as the most likely option to replace Araiza’s duties.

That might not be the case. In fact, he–Case, is among the potential backups.

Prior to kickoff, backup quarterback Case Keenum and safety Micah Hyde were warming up to hold for Bass. In terms of actually kicking the ball?

Here’s where something interesting really begins.

Backup quarterback Matt Barkley was the player that was warming up punting the ball before kickoff.

Buffalo will find out once the game begins who might actually be tossed out there in a punting situation for the Bills. The team could just go for it, but the coaching staff will want to see special teamers preform in the game, too.

Check out videos of Barkley, Keenum and Hyde during warmups below:

Matt Araiza will not punt for the Buffalo Bills in preseason finale

Rookie punter Matt Araiza, accused in a lawsuit of gang raping a 17-year-old girl, will not punt for the Bills in their preseason finale.

Rookie punter Matt Araiza, accused in a civil lawsuit along with two others of gang raping a 17-year-old girl last year, will not punt for the Buffalo Bills in the team’s preseason finale against the Carolina Panthers.

According to the lawsuit, filed on Thursday in San Diego County Superior Court, an unidentified woman claims that Araiza and two other San Diego State footbal players, Zavier Leonard and Nowlin “Pa’a” Ewaliko, took turns having non-consensual sex with her as she went in and out of consciousness. The woman was a 17-year-old high-school senior at the time.

On Thursday, the Bills released a brief statement:

ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that Araiza “would not punt” for the Bills in their final preseason game in Carolina:

Matt Araiza is at Bills’ preseason game vs. Panthers but will not play

Report: Matt Araiza is at #Bills’ preseason game vs. #Panthers, will not play:

Punter Matt Araiza was named in a civil lawsuit in California on Thursday which accuses him of raping a 17-year-old girl last year while he attended San Diego State.

The following day on Friday, his team, the Buffalo Bills, have a preseason game slated in Carolina against the Panthers.

The question pondered: Will Araiza attend despite the legal action? According to the Buffalo News, in some capacity, Araiza will be doing that. The BN reports that Araiza arrived at Bank of America Stadium with his teammates ahead of the game. He was spotted getting off a bus there.

However, an update states Araiza will not be on the field.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that Araiza will not be featured in the contest.

At this time it is unclear what the Bills will do without a punter against the Panthers. Stay tuned to Bills Wire for the latest updates.

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Report: Bills never reached out to alleged victim in Matt Araiza rape lawsuit

According to a report from The Athletic, the Buffalo Bills never reached out to the alleged victim in the Matt Araiza rape lawsuit.

On Thursday, Colleen Shalby and Robert J. Lopez of the Los Angeles Times reported that Buffalo Bills rookie punter Matt Araiza was one of three former and current San Diego State football players named in a lawsuit brought in San Diego County Superior Court. The lawsuit claims rape, false imprisonment and gender-violence crimes. An unidentified woman claims that Araiza, Zavier Leonard and Nowlin “Pa’a” Ewaliko took turns having non-consensual sex with her as she went in and out of consciousness. The woman was a 17-year-old high-school senior at the time.

Bills punter Matt Araiza one of three named in San Diego State gang-rape lawsuit

After the lawsuit was made public, the Bills issued this statement:

Generally speaking, what the NFL decides are “thorough examinations” in cases like this are examinations that go about as far as the NFL wants them to. And in this case, per Tim Graham of The Athletic, it didn’t go much further.

A source with information about the situation told Graham that while the Bills were not aware of the alleged incident when they sleeted Araiza in the sixth round of the 2022 draft, they were aware when they cut punter Matt Haack last Monday, making Araiza the starter by default.

From Graham’s story:

The accuser’s attorney told The Athletic on Friday morning the Bills never reached out to him or his client after an initial conversation with the team’s counsel.

“Absolutely not,” attorney Dan Gilleon said. “Never heard from them again.”

After an introductory email to Bills assistant general counsel Kathryn D’Angelo on July 31, Gilleon said the next day he had “a long phone call” with D’Angelo but has had no further contact with the club.

The Bills have not responded to a request for comment.

The Bills play the Carolina Panthers at 7:00 p.m. EST tonight, at which point the team will undoubtedly be asked for comment more than once. Especially if Araiza actually takes the field.