SAN DIEGO — Former San Diego State Aztec and Buffalo Bills punter Matt Araiza will get another shot at the NFL with the reigning Super Bowl Champion Kansas City Chiefs.
The announcement was initially made Thursday via X by JL Sports, the agency representing Araiza with a statement, "We are proud to announce that our client Matt Araiza has signed with the Chiefs. We are grateful to Brett Veach, Coach Reid, and the Chiefs organization for giving Matt this opportunity."
Included in the social media post thread was a statement attributed to Araiza: “I am proud and honored to sign a contract with the Chiefs. I am thrilled to be able to continue my NFL career. I want to thank my family, who have been my rock and my many friends who have been unwavering in their support. I am excited to begin the next phase of my career with the Super Bowl Champs!”
The Chiefs confirmed the free agent roster signing at 1 p.m. of both Araiza and safety Tyree Gillespie.
Matt Araiza was originally drafted in the NFL by the Buffalo Bills in the 6th round of the 2022 draft after a successful career at San Diego State where he was nicknamed "Punt God" for his booming punts that not only helped lead the team to a successful 2021 season but also brought NFL interest.
The Buffalo Bills released Araiza days after a civil lawsuit was filed against him and two other current and former San Diego State University football players, alleging they gang-raped a 17-year-old girl at an off-campus party in October 2021.
When the civil lawsuit was dismissed in late 2023 Araiza said, "I'm confident I'll be able to regain my NFL career. I believe it's more of a 'when' not an 'if,'" he said.
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