Buffalo Bills Fire Punter Matt Araiza Amid Criminal Allegations

Matt Araiza, the Buffalo Bills’ star punter, has been entangled in a lawsuit that cost him his profession. A 17-year-old girl recently accused Matt of sexual abuse. As a result of the allegations, the Buffalo Bills have released Matt Araiza from the squad in accordance with team policy.

TMZ Sports reports that Buffalo Bills punter Matt Araiza, who was accused of gang-raping a 17-year-old female in college, was fired by the team on Saturday, August 27. Araiza was sued in San Diego County Superior Court earlier this week.

Araiza, who is dubbed the “Punt God,” is accused of gang-raping a 17-year-old lady, only identified as “Jane Doe” in the suit, on October 17th, 2021, at a Halloween party at his house. The woman, who claimed that she was inebriated when she arrived at the party, claims that Araiza served her a drink that contained “other intoxicating substances.”

Doe claimed that the two had sexual encounters outside of the punter’s home. Araiza, she claimed, then led her inside and tossed her onto a bed. She further claimed that he gang raped her alongside two of his Aztec colleagues, Nowlin “Pa’a” Ewaliko and Zavier Leonard.

The woman claimed that the sexual abuse lasted around an hour and a half before the party was called off. According to the suit, she “stumbled out of the room bloody and crying.” Doe has filed a lawsuit against Araiza, Ewaliko, and Leonard for unspecified damages. Araiza flatly disputed the allegations shortly after they were made public.

“The facts of the incident are not what they are portrayed in the lawsuit or in the press. I look forward to quickly setting the record straight.”

The Bills initially issued a statement stating that they were aware of the allegations and had “conducted a thorough examination,” but that they couldn’t comment further due to the ongoing lawsuit. However, after benching Araiza during Friday night’s preseason game, the Bills, a Super Bowl contender, announced Saturday afternoon that they were parting ways with the league’s most talked about the punter.

Buffalo general manager Brandon Beane and head coach Sean McDermott spoke with the media briefly, telling reporters that the matter was greater than football and that Matt needed to deal with the serious issue. Beane stated the following about when the company learned of the extremely concerning claims.

“I know it’s a question of when did we hear this or what was the timeline — late July from her representative spoke to [Bills attorney Kathryn D’Angelo] and laid out some of the things that they were accusing Matt and others of. At that time, our process, we tried to be thorough and thoughtful. Not rush to judgment, and I would say it’s not easy. You’re trying to put facts around a legal situation, sometimes with limited information. So, ultimately that’s where we’re at today with the decision.”

Araiza hasn’t been arrested or charged with anything. The proceedings will begin soon, and the police will act accordingly. What do you think? Is Matt actually guilty of rape, or is the 17-year-old lady making it up? Let us know in the comments. Stay tuned to Thirsty for more information.

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