The Bills are scrambling, faced with a public relations nightmare following news that rookie Matt Araiza, known to fans as the “Punt God” for his prolific kicking at San Diego State, is being sued for allegedly gang-raping (along with two of his Aztec teammates) a 17-year-old at an off-campus party last fall. Since the allegations went public Thursday night, the Bills have been roundly criticized for what was seen as a weak response, releasing the following statement.
According to beat reporter Tim Graham, who covers the Bills for The Athletic, the team learned of the allegations last month, content to let Araiza attend training camp while the alleged victim went through the necessary legal steps to file her case in civil court. That means the Bills were aware of the accusations when they cut Matt Haack earlier this week, effectively awarding the starting punting job to Araiza.
A unanimous All-American and sixth-round draft pick, the 22-year-old became an internet phenomenon when he unleashed a mammoth, 82-yard punt in his preseason debut against the Colts earlier this summer. Araiza’s attorney, Kerry Armstrong, has called the lawsuit a “shakedown,” dismissing the allegations as a blatant attempt to capitalize on his client’s newfound fame and celebrity.
Among other horrifying details, the lawsuit alleges the punter knowingly engaged in sexual intercourse with a visibly intoxicated minor, leaving the victim (a high-school senior at the time) bloodied and crying. The lawsuit also implies Araiza spiked her drink, with the victim slipping in and out of consciousness throughout the attack. In a subsequent phone call (which, unbeknownst to Araiza, was being recorded by police detectives), Araiza admitted to the sexual encounter while advising “Jane Doe,” as she is named in the lawsuit, to get tested for chlamydia. However, after being asked a suspicious question, Araiza quickly changed gears, insisting he had no memory from the previous night before immediately hanging up. While no charges have been filed, police say their criminal investigation is “ongoing.”
The accusations come at a time with the NFL already reeling from Deshaun Watson’s explosive sexual assault scandal, a black eye for a league that has long been criticized for its inconsistencies in player discipline, over-punishing the likes of Calvin Ridley (suspended a full season for betting on games) and Josh Gordon (a frequent violator of the league’s drug policy), while turning a blind eye to domestic abuse and other forms of misconduct. Araiza is an objectively phenomenal punter but he’s also just a punter, which should be a relatively low priority for an offense that averaged 28.4 points per game last season (third-most). The Bills were plenty good without Araiza the previous two years, making it all the more puzzling that they’ve willingly invited this controversy into their locker room.
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