The Kansas City Chiefs made headlines on Thursday afternoon. A signing was reported as the Chiefs agreed to a one-year deal for punter Matt Araiza.
ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter emerged with the news on Tuesday.
“A big development in KC: Chiefs are signing former Bills punter Matt Araiza,” Schefter said.
A big development in KC: Chiefs are signing former Bills punter Matt Araiza, per source.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) February 22, 2024
Schefter later added a statement from Araiza’s agency, JL Sports.
The Chiefs new punter Matt Araiza via his agency, @JLSports3: https://t.co/bkRwwcQiAU
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) February 22, 2024
Readers may remember Araiza’s name after the former punter became implicated in a rape case. The Associated Press wrote in December 2023 that a woman “alleged that she was 17 and attending an off-campus party in October 2021 when Araiza, then 21, had sex with her in a side yard at an off-campus house before bringing her into a bedroom where a group of men took turns raping her. She reported the alleged assault to San Diego police the next day.”
No criminal charges were filed, and eventually, the lawsuit was dismissed. The AP wrote that the legal bills topped $20,000, and the accuser could not continue to afford to defend herself in court.
While it’s true that Araiza is free of any criminal charges, having your name implicated in this situation is ugly. It’s a curious decision by the Chiefs, even if he is cleared, if nothing else because of what he was accused of. Fair or foul, the Chiefs will likely face criticism from some angles and from fans after this move.
