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.
Source: #Chiefs are signing free agent punter Matt Araiza.
Araiza, a sixth-round pick in 2022, was out of football last year due to a rape lawsuit, which was dropped in December. pic.twitter.com/DdfrgDq0Ax
— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) February 22, 2024
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: