Matt Araiza Released by Bills After SDSU Gang-Rape Allegations

Rookie punter Matt Araiza was informed by the Buffalo Bills on Saturday that he would be released after he was accused of taking part in the gang rape of a 17-year-old girl during his time at San Diego State.

The decision was made by the general manager and head coach.

Adam Schefter @AdamSchefter

Bills have informed rookie punter Matt Araiza that he is being released, effective immediately. Araiza has been accused along with two others of gang raping a 17-year-old girl last year in a civil lawsuit filed on Thursday.

Colleen Shalby and Robert J. Lopez of the Los Angeles Times reported the woman, who is now 18 and is listed as Jane Doe, filed a civil lawsuit Thursday saying Araiza and former Aztecs teammates Zavier Leonard and Nowlin "Pa'a" Ewaliko raped her at an off-campus party in October 2021.

The woman said she was drinking with friends when she arrived at a party at Araiza's home. She said Araiza knew she was a high school student when he offered her a drink, told her to perform oral sex and then had sex with her.

She said Araiza then took her into one of the house's bedrooms, where Leonard, Ewaliko and at least one other man threw her on the bed and raped her for an hour-and-a-half.

The lawsuit states she then "stumbled out of the room bloody and crying. Her nose, bellybutton and ear piercings had been pulled out, and she was also bleeding from her vagina," according to the Los Angeles Times report.

She contacted police the next day and was taken to the hospital for a rape exam.

Araiza's lawyer, Kerry Armstrong, called the allegations false and said he'd spoken with witnesses who contradicted the woman's allegations.

"It's a shakedown because he's now with the Buffalo Bills," Armstrong told the Los Angeles Times. He added, "there is no doubt in my mind" that Araiza didn't rape the woman.

The Los Angeles Times was told by attorneys that they had no comment on the civil suit.

Criminal charges have not been filed in the case. The district attorney's office in San Diego will decide if criminal charges will be pursued.

Tim Graham of The Athletic reported the Bills weren't aware of the allegations when they selected Araiza, who became known as the "Punt God" at San Diego State, in the sixth round of the 2022 NFL draft. But they did reportedly learn of them before cutting fellow punter Matt Haack after a competition during training camp. Haack proceeded to sign with the Indianapolis Colts in free agency.

"We were recently made aware of a civil complaint involving Matt from October 2021," the Bills said in a statement. "Due to the serious nature of the complaint, we conducted a thorough examination of this matter. As this is an ongoing civil case, we will have no other comment at this point."

Armstrong told ESPN's Alaina Getzenberg that Araiza was "forthcoming" with the Bills about the allegation after an initial Los Angeles Times article about five San Diego State players being accused of rape. Araiza wasn't named in that initial June 3 report.

"I don't know how quickly after that, but it was after that [when Araiza alerted the Bills]," Armstrong said.

Buffalo opens the regular season Sept. 8 with a road game against the Los Angeles Rams.