Here is all you need to know about American football punter Matt Araiza including his age, career, Kansas City Chiefs salary, contract and net worth
Punter Matt Araiza, who was released in December from a case involving the alleged r*pe of a 17-year-old girl in 2021, was signed by the Chiefs, the Super Bowl winners.
Matt Araiza Kansas City Chiefs salary, contract details, net worth, bio, age, height, college, family and parents
Following suspicions that he and two teammates had committed a horrific act, Araiza came under intense public scrutiny. Araiza’s release from the Bills during the controversy surrounding the lawsuit claimed he was involved in a gang r*pe at a party.
As further investigation was conducted, though, the story started to take different turns. Supervision showed that Araiza had left the party where the incident was said to have happened much earlier than reported, which supported this decision.
The #Chiefs have signed one of the MOST TALENTED punters of all time in Matt Araiza.
Many talent evaluators have said he has the most powerful leg the #NFL world has ever seen.
Here is a minute of @matt_araiza BOOMING punts way over 80 yards
🤯🤯🤯
pic.twitter.com/Jx37EyxeVV— MLFootball (@_MLFootball) February 22, 2024
Who is Matt Araiza?
Matthew Ryan Araiza is an American football punter who was born on May 16, 2000 in San Diego, California, U.S and he plays for the National Football League (NFL) Kansas City Chiefs. The 23-year-old stands 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) tall.
A look at Matt Araiza’s career
Matt was a hurdler on the track and field team and a football and soccer player at Rancho Bernardo High School. A two-time selection to the All-America team as a placekicker, he made 37 field goals.
After receiving offers from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and the University of Montana, Araiza decided to play collegiate football at San Diego State University (SDSU) in his early career.
Matt was a football player for the San Diego State Aztecs in college, and as a junior, he set the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) season record for average punt yardage.
The Buffalo Bills selected Araiza in the sixth round of the 2022 NFL Draft, bringing him into the league. However, he was cut before the 2022 season began due to allegations of gang r*pe in a lawsuit. On August 27, he was released the following day.
After Araiza was drafted in July, the Bills claimed to have learned of the accusations against him. On February 22, 2024, Araiza signed a contract with the Kansas City Chiefs.
Matt Araiza’s contract details and salary
Araiza has a 2024 minimum contract that includes an injury split. According to NFL Networks‘ Tom Pelissero, there is “no financial risk” for the defending Super Bowl champs.
Araiza will earn $795,000 for the 2024 league season if he reaches the Chiefs’ 53-man roster, according to the NFL Collective Bargaining Agreement.
Because the Buffalo Bills cut him before he could have played in his first season (more on that later), he remains without any years of service time in the league.
Players in his position would make at least as much ($795,000), with totals of $915,000 and $985,000 for those with one and two years of accumulated service, respectively.
Matt Araiza had signed a 4 year, $3,876,148 contract with the Buffalo Bills, including a $216,148 signing bonus, $216,148 guaranteed, and an average annual salary of $969,037. He has a net worth of $3 million.
Araiza, 23, played in college at San Diego State and was drafted by the Buffalo Bills in the sixth round of the 2022 NFL draft but has never played in an NFL game.
The #Chiefs signed Matt Araiza to a minimum deal with an injury split. So no financial risk as the champs give Araiza a chance to get his career back. https://t.co/snyVjQwAdv
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) February 23, 2024
Matt Araiza’s parents
Matt Araiza is the youngest child of Ricardo Marzia and Kerry Marzia. He also has a younger brother named Rickey, who also played as a punter in his high school.