Several NFL fans are coming to the defense and support of Matt Araiza after the former Buffalo Bills punter saw the rape and sexual assault charges against him dropped.
For those not in the know, Araiza saw his professional career fail to take off after he was released by the Bills in 2022 following allegations of gang rape with an underage girl in an off-campus party while he was still in San Diego State.
In a massive twist, however, Araiza and his co-defendants have been proven to be innocent. All the sexual assault charges against him have been dismissed, and in return, he is also dropping the defamation case he filed against his accuser. It is worth noting, however, that he could still pursue a case against his accuser’s lawyer.
“The win is bittersweet. Matt has been forced to defend himself for the last sixteen months against false accusations and a campaign to ruin his career in the NFL. He will never get this time in his life back,” Araiza’s attorney, Dick Semerdjian, said in a statement.
After the latest revelations on Matt Araiza’s case, several NFL fans couldn’t help but feel bad for the former Buffalo Bills punter. Many expressed their dismay and anger towards his accuser, while others called out the NFL for the way they allowed someone to lose his job without proper due process.
“Matt Araiza is 100% innocent and did absolutely nothing wrong. His dishonest accuser should be the one facing criminal charges,” one fan wrote.
Another supporter said, “Turns out not only did Matt Araiza not do it, the other men involved were also falsely accused. 2 of ’em being former athletes. Any woman who falsely accuses someone of [gang] rape should be thrown in jail and locked away for life and called a clown b**ch for lying.”
“The NFL owes Matt Araiza an apology. The Bills owe him back pay. And Punt God must be brought back to the league!” a third commenter shared.
Here are more reactions to Araiza being falsely accused:
Matt Araiza, former Bills punter, had the civil lawsuit for sexual assault dropped today. No criminal charges, no civil lawsuit. He’s 100% innocent. Yet most sports media, who covered all the allegations and cost him his job, won’t even cover it: pic.twitter.com/CtNJ2UYXln
— Clay Travis (@ClayTravis) December 12, 2023
The vast majority of sexual assault allegations are true. That said, the number is not 100%. Hopefully, the Matt Araiza situation can teach us not to jump to conclusions too quickly. He didn’t deserve to lose his job.
— Isaiah Rosner (@IsaiahRosner) December 13, 2023
Matt Araiza was falsely accused.
Criminal charges were not pursued. Civil case is being dismissed.
Will the press report on his exoneration the same way they rushed to lynch him in the eyes of the public? https://t.co/CxReqthhHK
— The Tenth Man (@TheTenthManSD) December 12, 2023
What’s Next for ex-Buffalo Bills Punter, Punt God Matt Araiza?
With the lawsuit out of the way, Matt Araiza can now attempt to work his way back to the NFL. His name is now cleared, and at just 23 years old, he has plenty of football left in him.
There are also a number of teams in the NFL who could use a punter like him. After all, Araiza was the top punter in the nation in 2021–his final season at San Diego State. He won the Ray Guy Award that campaign, with the biggest highlight of the year being his NCAA record-breaking yards per punt that season of 51.19 yards per kick.
The New York Jets gave Araiza a workout in May. Hopefully he gets another chance and be able to rebuild his NFL dreams.
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