Matt Araiza, also known as the “Punt God,” signed with Kansas City Chiefs on Thursday after being dropped from a lawsuit and not charged in a rape case that derailed his NFL career.
Araiza’s agents at JL Sports said their client is grateful after the San Diego State Graduate went to “hell and back in the last 18 months,” to be given this opportunity by the Chiefs organization, NBC Sports reported.
“I am proud and honored to sign a contract with the Chiefs,” Araiza said in a statement through his agents. “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,” he added. “I am excited to begin the next phase of my career with the Super Bowl Champs!”
We have signed the following Free Agents:
P Matt Araiza
S Tyree Gillespie pic.twitter.com/4SRFkszOHx— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) February 22, 2024
Araiza was drafted by the Buffalo Bills in 2022 and shortly after, a woman filed a civil lawsuit claiming the NFL rookie and two college football teammates gang-raped her when she was just 17, as The Daily Wire previously reported.
San Diego police had investigated the woman’s claims for almost ten months, but sent it to the district attorney without a recommendation for prosecution, Yahoo Sports reported. The Bills at the time also said they investigated the incident and employed Araiza anyway.
The civil lawsuit became public and, based on the allegations, media and the public vilified Araiza, taking the claims at face value. The Bills cut Araiza, and on December 7, 2022, prosecutors announced that they wouldn’t charge anyone for the alleged gang-rape, following a 124-day investigation.
San Diego’s district attorney Summer Stephan said at the time that “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 New York Post noted.
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Later, it came out that prosecutors said Araiza was not present at the time of the alleged incident.
According to investigators, Araiza wasn’t even at the house when the incident is alleged to have occurred, and video evidence from the encounter casts doubt on the claim that the sex between the woman and the other men was not consensual, as previously reported.
Chiefs punter Tommy Townsend has been with Kansas City for the last four seasons, but becomes an unrestricted free agent next month, NBC noted.
Ashe Schow contributed to this report.