Former Bills punter Matt Araiza passed on an offer to play in Mexico and is holding out for another shot at the NFL, six months after Buffalo released him amid allegations of sex crimes, ESPN reported Monday.
Reports circulated last week that Araiza had signed with Tijuana Galgos of Mexico’s Professional American Football League, and the team announced his arrival for the upcoming spring season on Twitter.
However, the ESPN report said the punter never signed his contract and preferred to remain a free agent, citing his agent, Joe Linta.
The Bills selected the former San Diego State punter in the sixth round of the 2022 NFL Draft, and he dazzled in training camp. But Buffalo released him in August, two days after Araiza was named in a civil lawsuit that claimed he was one of three Aztecs players involved in the alleged gang rape of a 17-year-old girl at Araiza’s off-campus San Diego home in October 2021.
The San Diego County District Attorney’s Office announced in December that Araiza would not face charges.
“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 DA’s office said in a statement. “Prosecutors can only file charges when they ethically believe they can be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.”
The lawsuit filed in San Diego County Superior Court named Araiza and 2021 San Diego State teammates Zavier Leonard and Nowlin “Pa’a” Ewaliko. No charges were filed against Leonard or Ewaliko, either.
Araiza, 22, earned the nickname “Punt God” for his pattern of long booming kicks at San Diego State, where he joined legendary runner Marshall Faulk (1992, 1993) as the lone unanimous All-Americans in program history.
Araiza won the Ray Guy Award in 2021 as the nation’s top punter and finished the season with a NCAA-record 51.19-yard average.
–Field Level Media