Matt Araiza is not about to return to the gridiron after all.
Galgos de Tijuana, a professional football team in Mexico, announced last week that they had signed the disgraced ex-Buffalo Bills punter Araiza.
¡Bienvenido Matt Araiza!☄️
El pateador y punter formado en San Diego State University llega a Galgos para la temporada 2023#VamosGalgos❤️🔥 pic.twitter.com/dRPT0cF1E9— Galgos de Tijuana (@Galgos_LFA) February 16, 2023
But on Monday, some four days later, Araiza’s agent Joe Linta told Adam Schefter of ESPN that Araiza never actually signed with Galgos de Tijuana and remains a free agent. Linta adds that Araiza is still hoping for another opportunity in the NFL.
Nicknamed “The Punt God,” Araiza, 22, was drafted by the Bills in the sixth round last year. But his NFL career came to an abrupt halt when allegations against Araiza of sexual assault on a minor from his time in college surfaced. While the District Attorney’s Office ultimately did not file criminal charges against Araiza, he was still released by Buffalo and has not returned to football since.
It is unclear if Araiza himself backed out of the deal with Galgos de Tijuana or if the team had a change of heart after getting backlash for their decision to sign him. But it does make for a curious situation, especially since Galgos de Tijuana had already officially announced that Araiza was coming aboard.
