FEBRUARY 23: Araiza’s Chiefs deal is worth the league minimum and it includes an injury split, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network notes. As a result, Kansas City is not absorbing any financial risk while taking a flier on the once-celebrated prospect.
FEBRUARY 22: Matt Araiza is on course for an NFL return. The former Bills punter agreed to a one-year deal with the Chiefs on Thursday, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports. Araiza’s agency has confirmed the move.
The Bills waived the 2022 sixth-round pick in August 2022, after it was alleged he was involved in a gang rape of a minor. Araiza, 23, has since been cleared of criminal charges, and an investigation into the 2021 incident on the San Diego State campus did not produce a connection involving Araiza, who has also been dropped from a lawsuit pertaining to the matter. He has periodically surfaced on the NFL radar as a result, but the former All-American had not previously caught on with a team since his controversial Buffalo exit.
Araiza visited the Jets in May 2023; the meeting did not produce an agreement. Araiza was out of the league last season. Although Araiza was cleared of wrongdoing by authorities, the prospect of teams not wanting to bother a second chance for a punter who generated the headlines he did loomed. But Adam Caplan of Pro Football Network reports another team showed interest recently. Now, Araiza will look to earn the punting gig with the two-time defending champions.
The Chiefs’ punter of the past four seasons, Tommy Townsend, played out his rookie contract. He is set to be a free agent soon. A 2020 UDFA, Townsend earned first-team All-Pro honors for his work in 2022. He punted in three Super Bowls, collecting two rings as part of the team’s past two championship-winning efforts.
After averaging 50.4 yards per punt last season — by far a franchise single-season record — the Florida alum checked in with a 47.1-yard average in 2023. Townsend, 27, holds the top three single-season punting averages in Chiefs history, providing a strong replacement for longtime Kansas City punter Dustin Colquitt. Araiza averaged 51.2 yards per boot during his final San Diego State season.
The Araiza accuser’s civil suit alleged he had sex with the her at an off-campus party and brought her into a bedroom where “a group” of men raped her. The woman, who was 17 at the time of the October 2021 party, said she told friends immediately after she had been raped; she reported it to the San Diego Police Department the next day. During a 10-month criminal investigation into Araiza and two other members of the San Diego State football team, however, a witness said Araiza was no longer at the party at the time the alleged rape took place. Araiza had said any sexual contact between he and the accuser was consensual. Although the woman was 17 at the time of the alleged rape, Araiza has said he believed she was 18.
During Araiza’s quest to resume his career, the punter’s agent sent 20 teams a recording of a December 2022 meeting between a San Diego County prosecutor, the accuser and her attorney. The recording included a series of video clips showing the teen’s sexual encounters at the party; none showed Araiza, who declined an offer to settle the case for $50K.
This Araiza flier of sorts comes years after the Chiefs kicked the tires on first-round washouts Deandre Baker and Damon Arnette. Kansas City picked up both after off-field developments respectively led the corners out of New York and Las Vegas. Those partnerships did not last long, and it will be interesting to see if Araiza can rebound and begin his career two years later.
Sam Robinson contributed to this post.
This is good news
the rich get richer
He visited the Jets faaaaaar into the future lol
The year is 2923
Tom Brady is making his 100th come back
Lamar Jackson is outrunning teams in a wheel chair
NFL put a team on the moon before San Diego, St Louid, Oakland got another franchise
Good for him.
I hope he sued that woman so bad she has to live in a tent.
Dropped his lawsuit against her with prejudice in exchange for her dropping him from her lawsuit. So he can’t. Not like she has anything to sue for anyway.
I didn’t know the details. Thanks for the update. But she can claim rape, darn near put him in prison and nothing happens to her? Mockery of the system.
Yes, someone needs to protect the helpless NFL players against 17 year old girls.
Brilliant take on things
1. he wasn’t an NFL player
2. falsely accusing / convicting someone of crime they didn’t commit is definitely a horrible thing
3. this isn’t the first time pro/collegiate athletes have been falsely accused
Brian Banks
Duke Lacrosse team
Amir Riep and Jahsen Wint
Jameis Winston
Julian Edelman
Shawn Oakman
Malik St. Hilaire and Dhameer Bradley
off top of my head.
She was 17. He admitted to having sex with her.
17 pretending to be old enough to attend a collegiate party. Probably used fake id too. Not exactly gang rape.
But she was 17. She can pretend to be anything but that doesn’t change the fact she’s 17. And she may have been intoxicated
K. So how would he have known she was 17. That’s cool and all but saying she is doesn’t change the fact he didn’t know. And in this situation knowing she’s 17 vs thinking/being told she’s 18 changes the situation.
It doesn’t matter if he doesn’t know. Jesus brother.
It does. Cause had he known he most likely makes a different decision. 18 sleep with her legally. 17 don’t sleep with her not legal.
Sad that you want to ruin some kids life cause he slept with a girl thinking she’s 18 but wasn’t cause she lied. Do better.
Still didn’t answer the question. How is he suppose to know her exact age?
Here’s your dumb logic mind you deer hunter
You work at a pizza shop
I call order pizza
I give you the wrong address
My pizza is 30 40 50 minutes late
I call and complain to your manager about you
Manager says this is the address I gave
I say it’s your fault you wrote it down wrong you’re incompetent I demand a free pizza and my money back
You get fired for me complaining about you
Totally your fault right?
That’s your logic.
Just Google it. Anyone under the age of 18 can’t consent to sex. That’s the law.I have no idea what this pizza thing has to do with it. I’m right.
@Deerhunter Actually they can. And she didn’t just consent, she was the initiator.
Still refusing to answer the question
How do you know their exact age?
Maybe get to know them first and not hook up with a complete stranger at a party that “may” be under 18. So you think it’s ok for a 50 year old guy to have sex with a 13 year old if she tells him she’s 18? If you simply Google it, you’ll see I’m right, especially in California. Anyone under 18 cannot legally consent so it doesn’t matter what she told him
She’s on video saying she’s 18.
So you’re victim blaming Araiza who hooked up with a girl who told people she’s 18.
13 year old girls aren’t at college parties or bars.
@Deerhunter Him not knowing is the only thing that matters.
You are wrong. Law is about facts. The law states anyone under 18 cannot consent. It doesn’t matter what she told him.
@Deerhunter He never admitted to that and she is on video saying “I’m 18.”
According to the article, he told authorities that any sexual contact he had with her was consensual. Sure sounds like he admitted to having contact with her
“ Sure sounds like he admitted to having contact with her”
Sure sounds like he admitted to having contact with [a girl who is on video saying she is 18].
Case closed. The justice system made the right call by not pressing charges.
Anyways a girl lying about her age should be charged with a crime and should face jail time. It’s entrapment.
You really aren’t that smart are you. You need to write your legislature and have the laws changed if you want it to be legal to have contact with underage girls
Smarter than you. By a lot.
Anyways. System got it right. Good for Araiza.
Any girl who lies about her age should be charged with a crime cause it’s entrapment.
Entrapment only applies to law enforcement. Please just stop. You’re embarrassing yourself
Entrapment is the best example of the situation
Girl lies about her age
Guy unknowingly sleeps with a minor
Girl who knowingly lies faces 0 punishment
Guy who unknowingly did so gets in trouble
It’s entrapment and should apply to girls lying about their age. Girls who lie should also face jail time and fines. Call it entrapment. Same should apply to women who tell a guy its his kid and turns out it isn’t his. Justice system neede major reform
Who hurt you?
No one
Who raised you wrong to think its ok to lie and ruin people’s lives? Parents owe you an apology since they did a piss poor job raising you.
Google it. That’s all you have to do. I’ll ask you again, if a 14 year old girl tells a 50 year old man that she’s 18, do you think it’s ok for him?
Does he know or not know she’s 14
Did she lie about being 18
Does he know she’s 14 or did he lie about her age saying she’s 18
Where did they meet? Did they meet online in a chat room knowing she’s 14 or did he meet her at a place you typically find 18 year olds like clubs and college parties?
If he knowingly slept with a 14 year old. Jail time
If she knowingly lied about her age and he unknowingly slept with a minor she should face jail time if he faces jail time. He unknowingly committed a crime due to her actions (lying about her age). So she should also face time.
That’s not the way the law works. Trust me, I know this. If you want it to work the way you say, contact your state legislature or your congressman. Until then….a 17 year old girl is under 18
It actually does work that way. Which is why Araiza wasn’t charged.
The law actually allows for discretion if prosecutors want to pursue charges. Given the circumstances of this case the right decision was made.
Araiza wasn’t charged because he unknowingly slept with a minor proven by the fact there’s video of her telling everyone she’s 18 at a location where you’d expect to find people 18+ years old (college party).
He had 0 way to know she wasn’t 18.
I agree laws need adjusting to reflect this issue.
Glad you agree that this is law. Now, we’re done
Araiza dindu nuffin. Iliana Walker deserves prison.
@earmbrister Clearly they do. Soft power is a thing.
Smart
I’ve said since the early 1980s, that punters and kickers are woefully underrated. A lot of that has changed in the past decade or so but it’s amazing how much of an impact they can have on the score and field position during a game. Too much of a mentality of “they’re not real football players” and not enough focus on winning.
I fully agree
Call me odd, but I was quite impressed with the punting last year. Really was quite good across the league.
Yes! Finally some team finds the strength to do the right thing.
COMMENTS OPEN!!!
Let me be the first to say it. The Chargers sign Tommy Townsend to a 5 year contract.
He’s a great punter. If Araiza delivers on even half of his college potential, the Chiefs would have found a rare All-Pro replacement that doesn’t lose effectiveness. It’s an enviable development.
Even as a bengals fan can applaud and appreciate this move. Great pick up for the chiefs and even better that Matt is getting the chance that was robbed from him
“Araiza had said any sexual contact between he and the accuser was consensual. Although the woman was 17 at the time of the alleged rape, Araiza has said he believed she was 18.”
‘I wasn’t there and also I thought she was 18’ is evidently enough for these detectives.
Case closed.
Plus video of him leaving the party before events transpired based on her testimony. But you know why let facts get in the way.
Is he claiming to have had consensual sex with the underage girl before or after her gang rape? That fact is unclear here.
SAN DIEGO — Documents detail when a San Diego District Attorney told the teen who accused Matt Araiza in a gang rape, prosecutors would not file charges.
According to a more than 200-page transcript of a Dec. 7, 2022 recorded meeting between the accuser, a district attorney investigator, a deputy district attorney and people advocating for Jane Doe, a prosecutor told to the accuser, “I cannot file criminal charges against any of the suspects in the case.”
The documents, provided by Araiza’s attorney, claim prosecutors found that Araiza was not at the party when the accuser claimed she was raped.
My guess is hes claiming they had consensual at some point whether at the party or prior but he did not engage in what she claimed happened to her afterwards at said party
Facts are she was 17. He was not. People make this guy out to be a hero. So no matter how old a girl actually is, I guess if you believe she’s 18, case closed
Hero? No
Wrongly accused of a crime he didn’t commit? Yes.
People do tend to like to see “justice” served.
Facts are also she attended a collegiate party which 1. She may have used a fake ID to get into or 2. She told everyone she’s 18, attends the college, or both. Hardly a super hard criminal who needs jail time if he engages in a consensual act with a girl who lies about her age.
Strong chance he wasn’t charged cause circumstances (her attending a collegiate party) would lead him to believe yes she’s at least 18. Just like if a girl uses a fake id in a bar to get in circumstances would lead people to believe yes she’s old enough (21) to be here.
What party have you attended that you need to show ID? What if a 15 year old girl told you she was 18? What if she were drunk?
A couple actually. Cause it was university rules. Any fraternity or sorority caught serving alcohol to underage people were subject to discipline and possibly disbanding by the university depending on severity. To avoid that, policy was check IDs at door.
If she’s 15 lying about being 18 and getting into places with a fake ID like clubs or parties saying she’s 18 doesn’t change the fact she lied and mislead people about her age. Party club whatever location is treating said girl like she’s 18 by allowing her in. John Doe didn’t let her in or check ID. No. He showed his ID to get in like everyone else so natural conclusion is oh that person must also be 18 to be in here.
It’s really weird you think people should suddenly know someone else’s age but don’t think deliberately lying about it is an issue.
@Deerhunter Definitely case closed if they accuser makes an active and conscious effort to deceive you about their age like this girl did.
He was there earlier in the night. She is on video saying “I’m 18.”
Next up, Trevor Bauer signing with a MLB team.
I hate the Cheifs a little less today for this deal.
Royals should sign Bauer,they need pitching and people are already gonna hate KC for giving this guy a chance.
Any team with a need for a start should sign him. He’s a stud and definitely isn’t the only sexual deviant in sports. He’s no predator just a freak.
Kids a punting fool, should be fine in league.