'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Coming into the NFL, Matt Araiza was seen as the "Punt God," thanks mainly to his generational punting ability and calmness in the face of pressure. The San Diego State special teams star was selected by the Buffalo Bills with the 180th pick of the NFL Draft, and he quickly became the team's No. 1 punter.
However, before making his NFL debut for the Bills, he was embroidered in a controversy that changed his life forever. The Bills cut Araiza due to an alleged sexual assault perpetuated by him and his friends, and he never made it on an NFL pitch.
But, thanks to his partially guaranteed rookie contract that he signed after being drafted, he made $216,148 before being cut by the Bills. This is a mere fraction of the four-year, $3,876,148 contract that he signed with the Bills for being a sixth-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft.
Be the GM of your favorite team, use our free Mock Draft Simulator with trades
Matt Araiza's college legacy
Matt Araiza had a legendary college football career for a kicker, with the San Diego, California, native breaking NCAA record after record in his college career. Araiza committed to playing college football at San Diego State over offers from the University of Montana and the University of Massachusetts Amherst.
Upon entering San Diego State, Araiza redshirted his first season to learn in the wings of starting kicker John Baron II. He took over the reins in the next season, though, making a school record 22 field goals on 26 attempts and was selected as an honorable mention by the All-Mountain West.
His next term with San Diego was the COVID-19-shortened 2020 season, and he made a decent 10 of 14 field-goal attempts for the year. He was named honorable mention All-Mountain West for a second straight season and began punting for the team as well.
The 2021 college football season was Matt Araiza's true coming out party, as the future NFL draftee was named first-string punter in addition to his kicking duties. He ended his final season in San Diego, averaging 51.19 yards per punt, setting a new NCAA record in the process. His performances that season earned him the nickname "Punt God" across the country. At the end of the season, Araiza declared for the 2022 NFL Draft.
What's the latest on Matt Araiza?
The latest on Matt Araiza is that he might have an NFL future after all, as the San Diego County District Attorney's Office recently stated that Araiza couldn't have been a part as he had "left the venue at 12:30 a.m."
This is a small indication of light at the end of the tunnel for the disgraced punter, but there's still a lot to figure out. It remains to be seen whether Matt Araiza will ever play football at the highest level.
