Former Buffalo Bills punter Matt Araiza will not face rape charges, the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office announced Wednesday.
The Bills released Araiza in August, two days after the rookie was named in a civil lawsuit claiming he was one of three San Diego State players involved in the alleged gang rape of a 17-year-old girl at Araiza’s off-campus San Diego home in October 2021.
“Ultimately, prosecutors determined it is clear the evidence does not support the filing of criminal charges and there is no path to a potential criminal conviction,” the DA’s office said in a statement. “Prosecutors can only file charges when they ethically believe they can be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.”
The lawsuit filed in San Diego County Superior Court named Araiza and 2021 San Diego State teammates Zavier Leonard and Nowlin “Pa’a” Ewaliko. No charges will be filed against Leonard or Ewaliko either.
The Bills selected Araiza, 22, in the sixth round of the 2022 NFL Draft.
He earned the nickname “Punt God” for his pattern of long booming kicks at San Diego State, where he joined legendary runner Marshall Faulk (1992, 1993) as the lone unanimous All-Americans in program history.
Araiza won the Ray Guy Award in 2021 as the nation’s top punter and finished the season with a NCAA-record 51.19-yard average.
–Field Level Media
