Matt Araiza

Matt Araiza's Biography

Matthew Ryan Araiza is a seasoned professional footballer, who currently plays as a punter for the Kansas City Chiefs in the National Football League (NFL). Born on May 16, 2000, this Mexican-American punter had kicked off his football journey in the city where he was raised, San Diego, California. Here, at Rancho Bernardo High School, young Araiza displayed prodigious potential as a promising football and soccer player. Besides being a two-time All-America selection as a placekicker and making 37 field goals, he also demonstrated significant prowess as a hurdler on the track and field team.

Subsequently, Araiza enrolled at San Diego State University (SDSU) on a football scholarship, turning down offers from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and the University of Montana. During his stint at SDSU, Araiza redshirted his true freshman season, serving as a backup kicker under the astute guidance of All-Mountain West Conference kicker John Baron II.

However, soon his sight was fixed firmly on the goalposts. As a redshirt freshman, Araiza nailed a school record with 22 field goals from 26 attempts, earning an honourable mention in the All-Mountain West. In the COVID-19 fractured season of 2020, he skillfully executed 10 of 14 field goal attempts, once again earning an honourable mention in the All-Mountain West for a second consecutive season. Around the same time, Araiza also started to assume punting duties from the team’s inaugural bout against UNLV, averaging a remarkable 49.8 yards on five punts.

In 2021, his role at SDSU evolved, as he was given the responsibility of the first-string punter in addition to his kicking duties, going into his redshirt junior season. His impeccable performances granted him the nickname of “Punt God” among fans, despite Araiza’s reservations concerning it, he acknowledges it as a huge compliment. Completing the season with an average of 51.19 yards per punt, he shattered the NCAA record of 50.98 yards per punt previously held by Braden Mann of Texas A&M. His extraordinary performance led to a unanimous All-American selection, a prestigious accolade only given to one other player in SDSU’s history, and the highly-coveted Ray Guy Award for the top punter in the nation.

In the aftermath of these triumphs, Araiza decided to advance his career, forgoing his final season of eligibility to enter the 2022 NFL draft. His stats and talent were recognized by the Buffalo Bills who selected him in the sixth round with the 180th overall pick making him the third punter selected in the draft. Despite this promising start, his career took a tumultuous turn when he, along with two team-mates, were accused of gang rape by a then 17-year-old girl, leading to his release just before the starting of the 2022 season.

Following these allegations, the San Diego County District Attorney decided against pressing criminal charges, implying that the evidence wasn’t sufficient to pursue a criminal conviction. The decision came in favor of Araiza despite a pretext phone call made to him by the accuser wherein he admitted they had sex. He claimed it was consensual and that the accuser lied about her age, saying he was not present for the rest of the party.

After a year of legal battle, Araiza and the accuser mutually decided to drop their respective lawsuits with no admittance of wrongdoing and no monetary compensation changing hands. Amidst this pandemonium, Araiza was given a fresh start by the Kansas City Chiefs who he signed with on February 22, 2024, resuming his football career.

Throughout this journey, Araiza has demonstrated immense fortitude, standing at the eye of the storm. He, by way of this ordeal, became a perfect exemplar of resilience, truly living up to his moniker, the “Punt God.” The California-born punter, of Mexican heritage through his father, continues to be a force to reckon with on the football field, personifying courage, prowess, and perseverance.