Matt Araiza
Updated: 12/11/2025, 4:24:14 PM Wikipedia source
Matthew Ryan Araiza (born May 16, 2000) is an American professional football punter for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the San Diego State Aztecs, setting the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) season record for average punt yardage as a junior. Araiza entered the National Football League (NFL) as a sixth-round selection by the Buffalo Bills in the 2022 NFL draft, but he was released prior to the 2022 season after being accused in a lawsuit of gang rape. The San Diego County District Attorney declined to press criminal charges.
Infobox
Position
Punter
Roster status
Active
Born
(2000-05-16) May 16, 2000 (age 25)San Diego, California, U.S.
Height
6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Weight
200 lb (91 kg)
High school
Rancho Bernardo(San Diego, California)
College
San Diego State (2018–2021)
NFL draft
2022: 6th round, 180th overall pick
Punts
88
Punting yards
4,253
Punting average
48.3
Inside 20
37
Longest punt
72
Tables
Pre-draft measurables · Professional career
mw- .mw- .mw- .mw- 6 ft 1+1⁄8 in(1.86 m)
mw- .mw- .mw- .mw- 6 ft 1+1⁄8 in(1.86 m)
Height
mw- .mw- .mw- .mw- 6 ft 1+1⁄8 in(1.86 m)
Weight
200 lb(91 kg)
Arm length
30+1⁄2 in(0.77 m)
Hand span
9 in(0.23 m)
40-yard dash
4.68 s
10-yard split
1.59 s
20-yard split
2.71 s
Vertical jump
32.0 in(0.81 m)
Broad jump
10 ft 1 in(3.07 m)
All values from NFL Combine
All values from NFL Combine
Height
All values from NFL Combine
| Height | Weight | Arm length | Hand span | 40-yard dash | 10-yard split | 20-yard split | Vertical jump | Broad jump | ||||
| mw- .mw- 6 ft 1+1⁄8 in(1.86 m) | 200 lb(91 kg) | 30+1⁄2 in(0.77 m) | 9 in(0.23 m) | 4.68 s | 1.59 s | 2.71 s | 32.0 in(0.81 m) | 10 ft 1 in(3.07 m) | ||||
| All values from NFL Combine | ||||||||||||
· NFL career statistics › Regular season
Punts
Punts
Year
Punts
Team
Yds
GP
Avg
Punting
Lng
Punting
Blk
2024
2024
Year
2024
Team
KC
GP
17
Punting
62
Punting
3,027
Punting
48.8
Punting
72
Punting
0
Career
Career
Year
Career
Team
17
GP
62
Punting
3,027
Punting
48.8
Punting
72
Punting
0
| Year | Team | GP | Punting | ||||
| Punts | Yds | Avg | Lng | Blk | |||
| 2024 | KC | 17 | 62 | 3,027 | 48.8 | 72 | 0 |
| Career | 17 | 62 | 3,027 | 48.8 | 72 | 0 | |
References
- The Ringerhttps://www.theringer.com/2021/10/29/22752437/matt-araiza-san-diego-state-punter-nfl-potential
- The San Diego Union-Tribunehttps://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sports/high-school-preps/sd-sp-preps-matt-araiza-20171108-story.html
- The San Diego Union-Tribunehttps://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/pomerado-news/sports/sd-record-setting-rb-kicker-sdsu-20171227-story.html
- The San Diego Union-Tribunehttps://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sports/aztecs/story/2019-08-16/sdsu-aztecs-football-kicker-matt-araiza-rancho-bernardo-high-field-goals-kickoffs-punts-rocky-long
- The San Diego Union-Tribunehttps://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sports/aztecs/story/2019-12-21/san-diego-state-aztecs-football-kicker-matt-araiza-sets-sdsu-single-season-field-record-new-mexico-bowl-john-baron
- The Athletichttps://www.nytimes.com/athletic/2914953/2021/10/27/san-diego-states-matt-araiza-is-going-viral-one-80-yard-punt-at-a-time-plus-latest-in-conference-realignment-g5-drive/
- The San Diego Union-Tribunehttps://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sports/sports-columnists/story/2021-10-12/matt-araiza-san-diego-state-aztecs-kicker-punter-brady-hoke
- Times of San Diegohttps://timesofsandiego.com/sports/2021/10/17/aztec-matt-araiza-rancho-bernardo-high-alum-makes-espns-midseason-all-america-team/
- ESPN.comhttps://www.espn.com/college-football/recap?gameId=401331214
- sports.yahoo.comhttps://sports.yahoo.com/nfl-draft-matt-araiza-punt-god-3rd-punter-233514055.html
- Yahoo! Sportshttps://sports.yahoo.com/matt-araiza-man-call-punt-212758316.html
- The San Diego Union-Tribunehttps://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sports/aztecs/story/2021-12-09/san-diego-state-sdsu-aztecs-matt-araiza-wins-ray-guy-award-top-punter-in-nation
- Los Angeles Timeshttps://www.latimes.com/california/story/2022-08-25/nfl-matt-araiza-sdsu-football-players-accused-rape-lawsuit
- ESPN.comhttps://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/32953323/san-diego-state-aztecs-record-setting-punter-matt-araiza-entering-nfl-draft
- NFL.comhttps://www.nfl.com/prospects/matt-araiza/32004152-4131-7575-504d-a8b693e6a7b6
- draftscout.comhttps://draftscout.com/dsprofile.php?PlayerId=1017679&DraftYear=2022
- "In 'Punt God' Matt Araiza, Bills getting a promising prospect, but far from a finished product"https://web.archive.org/web/20220502102259/https://buffalonews.com/sports/bills/in-punt-god-matt-araiza-bills-getting-a-promising-prospect-but-far-from-a-finished/article_00c9beb8-c9a2-11ec-93e8-57b767064fe7.html
- The Guardianhttps://www.theguardian.com/sport/2022/aug/27/buffalo-bills-cut-matt-araiza-after-gang-rape-allegation
- The New York Timeshttps://www.nytimes.com/article/matt-araiza-rape-lawsuit-buffalo-bills.html
- NFL.comhttps://www.nfl.com/news/bills-rookie-punter-matt-araiza-wins-starting-job-after-release-of-matt-haack
- San Diego Union-Tribunehttps://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/public-safety/story/2022-08-26/buffalo-bills-punter-araiza-benched-day-after-sdsu-gang-rape-lawsuit-filed
- NFL.comhttps://www.nfl.com/news/bills-release-rookie-punter-matt-araiza-following-gang-rape-allegation-in-civil-
- Bills Wirehttps://billswire.usatoday.com/2022/08/27/bills-matt-araiza-release-gang-rape-lawsuit/
- ESPN.comhttps://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/39577376/chiefs-signing-punter-matt-araiza-agent-announces
- Kansas City Chiefshttps://www.chiefs.com/news/five-chiefs-named-to-the-2025-pro-bowl-games
- "Eagles 40-22 Chiefs (Feb 9, 2025) Box Score"https://www.espn.com/nfl/boxscore/_/gameId/401671889
- ESPNhttps://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/32591242/why-college-football-see-attraction-punter-san-diego-state
- The San Diego Union-Tribunehttps://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sdut-prep-football-rancho-bernardo-matt-araiza-2015dec10-htmlstory.html
- San Diego Union-Tribunehttps://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/california/story/2022-08-26/diary-describes-alleged-rape-at-the-center-of-lawsuit-against-nfl-punter-matt-araiza
- San Diego Union-Tribunehttps://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sports/national/story/2022-08-26/bills-investigation-of-araiza-didnt-include-alleged-victim
- BBChttps://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/american-football/62705144
- WKBWhttps://www.wkbw.com/news/local-news/matt-araiza-releases-statement-addressing-rape-allegations
- cbs8.comhttps://www.cbs8.com/article/news/investigations/teenager-accusing-matt-araiza-of-rape-speaks-out/509-3713471c-2c98-4078-8270-aeba6c8aecba
- The San Diego Union-Tribunehttps://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/public-safety/story/2022-12-07/da-decision-regarding-charges-in-sdsu-rape-case
- The San Diego Union Tribunehttps://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/public-safety/story/2023-04-26/araiza-seen-leaving-sdsu-area-party-before-sex-videos-recorded-audio-of-da-meeting-reveals
- Yahoo! Sportshttps://sports.yahoo.com/prosecutors-former-bills-punter-matt-araiza-wasnt-present-during-alleged-gang-rape-225211550.html
- The Buffalo Newshttps://buffalonews.com/sports/bills/report-prosecutors-say-ex-bills-punter-matt-araiza-had-left-party-before-reported-gang-rape/article_a4ec61c0-ee0f-11ed-976f-4343bf543f80.html
- USA Todayhttps://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/2023/05/11/matt-araiza-nfl-punter-rape-case-woman-discuss-details/70202116007/
- ESPNhttps://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/37589684/witness-says-matt-araiza-present-alleged-rape
- The San Diego Union-Tribunehttps://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/courts/story/2023-07-28/former-sdsu-punter-matt-araiza-sues-woman-who-accused-him-of-rape
- Yahoo! Sportshttps://sports.yahoo.com/civil-suit-dropped-against-former-san-diego-state-punt-god-matt-araiza-193154343.html
- The San Diego Union-Tribunehttps://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/2024/09/13/nfl-punter-matt-araiza-settles-with-attorney-in-civil-suit-alleging-rape/