"Bills fans are actually defending this man? Disgusting fan base" , "Sucks that his career had to end but he made the wrong decisions" - NFL fans react to Bills cutting Matt Araiza following gang rape accusation

NFL Combine
NFL Combine Punter Matt Araiza

Buffalo Bills rookie punter Matt Araiza began the preseason wowing NFL audiences with his kicking prowess. He boomed an incredible 82-yard punt against the Indianapolis Colts and was named the Bills starter for the season. However, he will finish the preseason without a job.

Araiza was one of three people accused of gang-raping a 17-year-old girl. The incident occurred while he was still at San Diego State last year. Araiza said that the facts of the case (which were told to the police the following day) are inaccurate, but did admit to sleeping with the underage girl at the party. The punter has since been released by the Bills.

NFL fans took to social media to weigh in on the matter, with many expressing their disappointment in both the team and the former player. Here are some of the top reactions:

Looking to predict NFL playoff Scenarios? Try our NFL Playoff Predictor for real-time simulations and stay ahead of the game!


Will former Bills punter Matt Araiza ever play in the NFL?

Indianapolis Colts v Buffalo Bills
Indianapolis Colts v Buffalo Bills

Araiza has had a lawsuit filed against him and his two former teammates. This has already put him behind the eight ball in terms of a potential return to the NFL. He had a bright future, but an allegation can derail that, and a formal lawsuit is more than just an allegation.

The facts of the lawsuit state that the yet unnamed woman met Araiza at a party when she was 17 and he was 21. It was reported that she was clearly intoxicated and that the punter handed her another drink and took her to a bedroom. Two other men were already in the bedroom and she was reportedly raped for an hour and a half. She emerged bloody and crying when the party was shut down.

youtube-cover

The incident was reported to the police the next day and the punter confirmed to them that he did sleep with the woman. All of this bodes ill for Araiza's NFL prospects. He will get his day in court, but it certainly doesn't look promising.

youtube-cover

Regardless of whether he is legally labeled a criminal, NFL teams know what he was accused of and will think twice before giving him another opportunity. One could argue that Deshaun Watson is proof of the opposite, but he's a quarterback, not a punter.

Buffalo Bills Nation! Check out the latest Buffalo Bills Schedule and dive into the latest Bills Depth Chart for NFL Season 2024-25.

Quick Links

Edited by John Maxwell
Sportskeeda logo
Close menu
WWE
WWE
NBA
NBA
NFL
NFL
MMA
MMA
Tennis
Tennis
NHL
NHL
Golf
Golf
MLB
MLB
Soccer
Soccer
F1
F1
WNBA
WNBA
More
More
bell-icon Manage notifications