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Cleared Criminally, Punter Matt Araiza Reportedly Gets Workout with the Jets
The New York Jets are hosting the "Punt God" for an official workout.
Known for his booming punts, Matt Araiza is auditioning for Gang Green according to a report from ESPN's Adam Schefter.
Araiza, a former star at San Diego State where he set the NCAA season record for punting average, went to the Buffalo Bills with the No. 180 overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. He was slated to be the team's starting punter until disturbing allegations were raised against him, creating a media swell.
In late August, the San Diego Union-Tribune discovered that Araiza had been named as a defendant in a civil lawsuit that accused the SDSU punter and two others of raping a 17-year old at a college party in October 2021.
The accuser's lawyer released diary entries that graphically described the alleged transgressions on August 26 and the Bills released Araiza the following day. He has been unemployed since being cut by Buffalo.
Meanwhile, a criminal investigation was being conducted by local authorities and the eventual results cleared Araiza of the accused wrongdoing. Prosecutors did not file criminal charges against the man who earned the "Punt God" nickname with the Aztecs.
Earlier this month, Yahoo! Sports obtained a 200-page transcript of a meeting between the accuser's attorneys and the deputy district attorney.
“In looking at the videos on the sex tape, I absolutely cannot prove any forceable sexual assault based upon what happened,” said deputy district attorney Trisha Amador.
It was discovered that Araiza was no longer present at the party when the alleged incident occurred.
“He wasn’t even at the party anymore,” said Amador.
Araiza's punting talent is unquestionable. He can flip the field from inside his own 10-yard line.
During his junior season, Araiza won the Ray Guy Award as the nation's best collegiate punter. He finished the 2021 regular season leading all FBS players in punt average (51.37), total punt yards (3,904) and punt yards per game (300.31). Araiza also handled placekicking and kickoff duties for SDSU.
The Jets signed veteran punter Thomas Morstead this offseason and subsequently released former draft pick Braden Mann.
Morstead appears on track to be the starting punter, but Gang Green may be on the look out for an upgrade as evidenced by the Araiza workout.
Bills' 2022 draft pick Matt Araiza punts in a NFL Preseason game
© Mark Konezny-USA TODAY Sports
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