Matt Araiza will be the starting punter for the Kansas City Chiefs this season, two years after being fired by the Buffalo Bills following a pending rape allegation.
The rape lawsuit was dropped and Araiza signed with the Chiefs in February. He competed with Ryan Reckow for the starting punter's spot in camp and became the team's full-time punter by the end of the preseason.
Araiza was officially selected as a member of the Chiefs' roster after they cut it to 53 players on Tuesday.
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Kansas City Chiefs punter Matt Araiza (number 49) stands on the sideline during a game against the Detroit Lions at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium on August 17, 2024 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Denny Medley – USA Today Sports)
Chiefs special teams coach Dave Toub explained last month why Araiza should be the starting punter.
“They both did a great job. Ryan Rekou did a great job. He's a BYU guy. It was a tough decision,” Toub said. Chiefs Wire“It wasn't really that clear-cut, but at the end of the day Matt was the more consistent player. He was a left-handed punter and a little older, so I think we made the choice to go with Matt. We didn't want to have two guys in camp.”
Toub suggested Araiza might have a different impression on punt returners given that he is left-handed.
Chiefs head coach Andy Reid also spoke briefly about Araiza on Aug. 5.
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Kansas City Chiefs punter Matt Araiza (No. 49) walks from the locker room to the field before training camp at Missouri Western State University on July 26, 2024 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Denny Medley – USA Today Sports)
“I like him,” Reid said. “Just keep working hard. Just keep working and being consistent. As you can see, he's in great form.”
Araiza also spoke at the time about whether he thought he'd ever punt again.
“There were times when I didn't and there were times when I could have,” he said. “Honestly, it went back and forth in my mind. Yeah, there were a lot of moments when I thought it was over. I'm just so grateful to be here.”
Araiza will get the chance to punt for the first time next week when the Chiefs open the season against the Baltimore Ravens, and he said he knows how special the moment will be.
“It's going to be pretty surreal. I'm definitely going to soak it all in,” he said. “Like I said, I'm just grateful for the opportunity and grateful to be back in that moment because that's what I love most about being out there, the pressure situations, the competition, the hustle and bustle, the pads and all that. I feel like that's where I'm at my best so I can't wait to get back out there.”
The case against Araiza was dismissed in December.
Kansas City Chiefs punter Matt Araiza (No. 49) walks down the hill from the locker room to the field before training camp at Missouri Western State University on July 22, 2024 in St. Joseph, Missouri. (Denny Medley – USA Today Sports)
Known as the “God of Punting” at San Diego State, the Bills selected him in the sixth round of the 2022 draft, but he was released before the start of the season after the lawsuit came to light.
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He won the Ray Guy Award for the best collegiate punter in 2021 and was also named an All-American that same year.
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