Matt Araiza, a talented punter who had his career setback by a sexual assault accusation, is on track to become the Kansas City Chiefs’ punter for the 2024 season. The Chiefs released punter Ryan Rehkow, leaving Araiza as the sole punter on the roster. There is a possibility that the Chiefs may bring in another punter to compete with Araiza, but it seems likely that he will be the team’s punter once the regular season commences.
Araiza originally won the punting job for the Buffalo Bills as a rookie in 2022 but was released after allegations of a past sexual assault surfaced. Despite never facing criminal charges and the accuser dropping the lawsuit, Araiza was out of the NFL for over a year. Known as the best college punter while at San Diego State, Araiza won the prestigious Ray Guy Award and set a new NCAA record with an average of 51.2 yards per punt. Additionally, he also handled kickoffs and field goals during his college career.
Now with the off-field issues from his time in Buffalo seemingly behind him, Araiza has a chance to showcase his skills in the NFL. If he can replicate his success from his college days, he has the potential to be one of the top punters in the league this season.