The Buffalo Bills are letting go of a rookie punter after accusations of a gang rape involving him and allegedly two other men at his alma mater, San Diego State University.
Matt Araiza, 22, is no longer a part of the team after being benched once the team learned of the matter. The general manager Brandon Beane said the team struggled to receive answers from Araiza on the accusations and referred to the incident as “bigger than football.”
“There are many things that we could not get our hands on,” Beane said. “This was about letting Matt go handle his situation.”
It was unclear if the Bills knew of the rape allegations prior to drafting Araiza in April. However, The Athletic confirms the team did not learn until the past month.
The civil lawsuit describes graphic details of what happened to the 17-year-old accusing the football player and two others of raping her.
According to the lawsuit, the accuser went to Araiza’s residence near San Diego State campus for a Halloween party on October 16, 2021. She alleges Araiza offered her drink though she was already intoxicated, and believes the drink had more than just liquor in it. She believes it contained intoxicating substances.
After the brief encounter, Araiza brought the minor into a room and had sex with her, where she was raped repeatedly by other individuals.
After the alleged incident, the minor went to San Diego Police Department to tell her story and have a rape kit done.
Though the minor listed Araize as one of three men named in the lawsuit, Zavier Leonard and Nowlin “Pa’a” Ewaliko, all former San Diego State teammates, she believes as many as 20 men raped her that night.
Araiza wants to set the record straight about the accusations saying, “The facts of the incident are not what they are portrayed in the lawsuit or in the press. I look forward to quickly setting the record straight.”
