Bills knew about Matt Araiza issue
Mar 5, 2022; Indianapolis, IN, USA; San Diego State place kicker Matt Araiza (PK01) talks to the media during the 2022 NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports
Rookie punter Matt Araiza and two of his former college teammates are facing some extremely troubling allegations, and it turns out the Buffalo Bills have known about the situation for quite some time.
A civil lawsuit was filed on Thursday in San Diego County Superior Court that accuses Araiza and two current San Diego State football players of gang-raping a then-17-year-old girl. According to Tim Graham of The Athletic, the Bills have known about the allegations for several weeks.
Source tells me the Bills were made aware of the accusations against Araiza last month. They did not know when they drafted him, but did know when they cut Matt Haack on Monday.
— Tim Graham (@ByTimGraham) August 26, 2022
Dan Gilleon, the attorney representing the alleged victim, also shared some screenshots of text messages that prove both Araiza and the Bills were made aware of the accusations as far back as July. Gilleon reached out to Araiza on July 30. He received a response from Araiza’s lawyer Kerry Armstrong, and the two exchanged some unpleasantries.
— Dan Gilleon (@dangilleon) August 26, 2022
The alleged victim, now 18, says in the suit that she was sexually assaulted at an off-campus party that began on the night of Oct. 16, with the assault occurring early the next day. The woman was in high school at the time of the alleged incident. You can read more details from the lawsuit here.
Araiza was a star punter on the Aztecs last year before being drafted by the Bills in April. Zavier Leonard and Nowlin “Pa’a” Ewaliko are the other players who were named in the suit. Leonard is listed on the Aztecs’ roster as a redshirt freshman, while Ewaliko was a freshman on last year’s roster but is not on the current roster.
Araiza won the Ray Guy Award last year as the best punter in college football. Nicknamed the “Punt God” for his incredible punting ability, Araiza was a sixth-round pick by the Bills.