One of the biggest NCAA and NFL crossover storylines in the past few years, the notorious “Punt God” is once again in the spotlight.
After making his return to the league in February, former San Diego State leg Matt Araiza made headlines again as fans and media recalled the tumultuous legal journey the punter faced on his way to ultimately signing with the Chiefs.
Despite setting an NCAA record with a 51.2-yard average on his punts in 2021 and winning the 2021 Ray Guy Award, Araiza was the third punter selected in the 2022 NFL Draft. The Bills took him 180th overall in the sixth round, which eventually led many to question whether the accusations he faced had anything to do with his falling prospects.
Here’s everything to know about the controversy surrounding Araiza, including how the “Punt God” got back in the NFL after legal troubles.
Matt Araiza legal troubles timeline
Aug. 25, 2022: Matt Araiza, two other San Diego State players accused of assaulting underage girl in October 2021
In late August 2022, the Los Angeles Times reported that three SDSU football players—Zavier Leonard, Nowlin Ewaliko, and Araiza—were accused in a civil lawsuit of gang raping a 17-year-old girl at an off-campus party in October 2021.
The 22-year-old punter and unanimous first-team All-American, who had recently won the starting job for the Bills when the suit was filed, denied the allegations as did his lawyer Kerry Armstrong.
“The facts of the incident are not what they are portrayed in the lawsuit or in the press,” Araiza said. “I look forward to quickly setting the record straight.”
Allegedly, the team had been made aware of the accusations against Araiza the month before the filing, but it did not know when they drafted him. The Bills released a statement shortly after the Times published its story.
“We were recently made aware of a civil complaint involving Matt from October 2021,” the Bills said. “Due to the serious nature of the complaint, we conducted a thorough examination of this matter. As this is an ongoing civil case, we will have no other comment at this point.”
Aug. 27, 2022: Buffalo Bills release Matt Araiza
Less than 48 hours after the lawsuit was filed, Buffalo released the rookie. Bills general manager Brandon Beane and coach Sean McDermott made the announcement at a news conference after the team completed an investigation on the matter.
“We tried to be thorough and thoughtful and not rush to judgment, and I would say it’s not easy,” Beane said. “You’re trying to put facts around a legal situation sometimes with limited information.”
The general manager also told reporters that the Bills had asked around the league and that no other team knew the depth of the allegations against Araiza. Ultimately, the lawsuit forced the team to switch gears on the punter, and Beane emphasized that cutting him was the right decision.
Dec. 7, 2022: San Diego District Attorney’s Office announces Matt Araiza will not be charged
In a statement, the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office said neither Araiza nor his teammates would be criminally charged in the rape case.
“Ultimately, prosecutors determined it is clear the evidence does not support the filing of criminal charges and there is no path to a potential criminal conviction,” the statement said. “Prosecutors can only file charges when they ethically believe they can be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.”
It later came out, per a Yahoo Sports report, that Araiza allegedly left the home about an hour prior to when evidence suggested the incident would have occurred.
July 28, 2023: Matt Araiza files defamation lawsuit against accuser
Attorneys for Araiza filed a civil defamation lawsuit against the woman, who had turned 18 at this point. The suit said the punter, who was 21 at the time, admitted to having sex with the teen, but that everything was consensual and she lied to police about what happened.
Dec. 12, 2023: Matt Araiza and accuser mutually agree to drop respective lawsuits
Multiple outlets reported an agreement had taken place between Araiza and his accuser wherein both parties would dismiss their respective lawsuits. The punter would not pay the woman any money, which his attorneys called a “win.”
The woman’s attorney also said it was “a mutual settlement agreement in which both sides released each other and neither admitted wrongdoing.”
Feb. 22, 2024: Kansas City Chiefs sign Matt Araiza
Shortly after their second consecutive Super Bowl victory, the Kansas City Chiefs signed Araiza for the 2024 season. The contract is a 1-year, $ 795,000 deal, per Spotrac.
Currently, Araiza is the only punter on the team’s depth chart after releasing competitor Ryan Rehkow in early June. In the Chiefs’ three preseason games, Araiza punted 14 times for an average of 46.9 yards and a long of 61.
“I feel like I’ve been punting really well,” he said after the team’s first preseason matchup. “I’ve continued to grow. That’s probably my favorite part is day one here versus now, I’m continuing to get better, so I’m looking forward to that. Just continued growth.”
