Matt Araiza’s time with Tijuana lasted shorter than a spring break trip.
On Thursday, Galgos de Tijuana [Tijuana Greyhounds] of the Liga de Fútbol Americano Profesional [LFA] announced that they signed Araiza, just over two months after a judge ruled that the former Bills punter will not face criminal charges from allegations that he participated in a gang-rape.
“Welcome Matt Araiza!” the team wrote in a tweet, including a flyer of his resume. “The kicker and punter trained at San Diego State University arrives at Galgos for the 2023 season.”
However, as news started to circulate on Monday that Araiza was joining the Mexican league, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that Araiza was not signing with Tijuana.
“Former Bills’ punter Matt Araiza, who was reported to have signed with Galgos de Tijuana of the Liga de Fútbol Americano Profesional in Mexico, never signed with the team and remains a free agent, hoping for an opportunity in the NFL, per his agent Joe Linta,” Schefter tweeted.
Tijiuana head coach Ricardo Licona told Fox 5 San Diego that Araiza “will apparently get an opportunity in the NFL.”
Araiza was released by the Bills in August after a civil lawsuit was filed accusing him and two of his San Diego State football teammates of gang-raping a 17-year-old girl at an off-campus party in 2021.
In an August interview with CBS News, Araiza’s unnamed accuser said the alleged incident occurred on Oct. 17, 2021 at a Halloween party at a home where Araiza had been living at the time. The outlet interviewed her anonymously and did not show her face. They also published photos of the accuser with bruises on her legs and neck.
The woman claimed that she went in and out of consciousness during the alleged assault, adding that her phone was taken from her and her piercings were ripped.
Kerry Armstrong, Araiza’s lawyer, called the allegations a “shakedown.”
Araiza was selected by the Bills in the sixth round (180th overall) of the 2022 NFL Draft. The 22-year-old was expected to be the Bills’ starting punter after playing well during the preseason.
The Bills said they learned about the allegations against Araiza in July, and released Araiza days after the lawsuit was made public in August.
“It’s not a situation that I or we take lightly whatsoever, and it’s very serious,” Buffalo Bills coach Sean McDermott said. “It’s just a matter of trying to find the truth at the end of the day, right? That’s the goal is find the truth and do the right thing.”
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San Diego State football coach Brady Hoke said he was unaware of the accusations made against Araiza until the civil lawsuit was filed.
Araiza won the Ray Guy Award as the best punter in college football in 2021, and was given the nickname, “Punt God.”