Matt Araiza Chiefs Contract: Why Deal For Bills Ex is 'No Risk'
Details around Matt Araiza's NFL return have emerged.
The former Buffalo Bills punter is back in the league after clearing his name of rape allegations after signing a free agent deal with the defending champion Kansas City Chiefs. Details of Araiza's contract have emerged in a report from NFL Network's Tom Pelissero, who hints that it's a win for all parties.
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"The Chiefs signed Matt Araiza to a minimum deal with an injury split," Pelissero tweeted. "So (there's) no financial risk as the champs give Araiza a chance to get his career back."
Under the current collective bargaining agreement, the NFL minimum salary is $795,000 for a rookie and $915,000 for a player with one year of service. Araiza did not appear in any regular season games during his brief Buffalo tenure.
A San Diego State alum, Araiza was drafted by the Bills in the sixth round of the 2022 draft but was released in the final stages of the ensuing preseason after the aforementioned accusations became public. The San Diego County District Attorney's Office did not file criminal charges against Araiza, who originally planned to file a defamation lawsuit against his accusor but both sides mutually dropped their cases last December.
Araiza is set to take over Kansas City's punting duties with longtime leg Tommy Townsend due to hit free agency. He previously earned the nickname of "Punt God" at SDSU, earning unanimous All-American honors and the Ray Guy Award at the end of his senior season in 2021.
