Matt Araiza Bio
Matthew Ryan Araiza is an American professional football punter for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League (NFL). Born on May 16, 2000, in San Diego, California, he built his reputation at San Diego State University before entering the league. Araiza gained national recognition during his junior college season when he set the NCAA single-season record for average punt yardage, a performance that earned him the nickname “Punt God.” After a complicated start to his NFL journey, he returned to the field with the Chiefs and quickly established himself as one of the league’s most productive special teams players.
Early Life and Background
Matthew Ryan Araiza grew up in San Diego, California, where he attended Rancho Bernardo High School. At Rancho Bernardo, he played football and soccer and also competed as a hurdler on the school’s track and field team. As a senior, he was known for his powerful leg, and he developed a reputation as one of the most accurate kickers in the region, connecting on 37 career field goals. His versatility as both a placekicker and an athlete helped him earn two-time All-America recognition at the high school level.
When it came time to choose a college, Araiza selected San Diego State University over offers from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and the University of Montana. The decision allowed him to stay close to home and continue his development in a program with a strong special teams tradition. His upbringing in a Southern California community with deep ties to football helped shape his competitive approach and work ethic as he prepared for the next level.
Path to American Football
Araiza arrived at San Diego State University as a preferred walk-on and was redshirted during his true freshman season, spending that year behind All-Mountain West kicker John Baron II. As a redshirt freshman, he stepped into the starting placekicker role and set a school record by making 22 field goals on 26 attempts, earning honorable mention All-Mountain West honors. His early success demonstrated that his leg strength translated to the college game.
During the COVID-19-shortened 2020 season, Araiza made 10 of 14 field goal attempts and once again received honorable mention All-Mountain West recognition. In that season opener against UNLV, he also assumed punting duties for the first time, averaging 49.8 yards on five punts. That experiment foreshadowed the breakout campaign that would soon follow and laid the foundation for his path to becoming a complete special teams weapon at the college level.
Matt Araiza Career
College Career (2019–2021)
Araiza’s college career reached its peak during his redshirt junior season in 2021, when he was named first-string punter in addition to his kicking duties. He finished the year averaging 51.19 yards per punt, surpassing the previous NCAA single-season record of 50.98 yards set by Texas A&M’s Braden Mann in 2018. The performance earned him the Ray Guy Award as the nation’s top punter, the Mountain West Special Teams Player of the Year award, and first-team All-Mountain West honors. He also became the second player in Aztecs history to be named a unanimous All-American.
Following the historic 2021 season, Araiza announced that he would forgo his final year of eligibility and enter the 2022 NFL draft. His decision was widely covered by college football media, which highlighted his record-breaking punting average and his experience as both a kicker and a punter. That announcement marked the end of one of the most decorated special teams careers in San Diego State history.
Buffalo Bills Era (2022)
The Buffalo Bills selected Araiza in the sixth round with the 180th overall pick of the 2022 NFL draft, making him the third punter taken in that class. Shortly after the draft, he was named the Bills’ starting punter following the release of veteran Matt Haack. His path to a Week 1 role appeared to be set, and he was widely viewed as one of the most talented young punters entering the league that year.
However, Araiza did not appear in the Bills’ final preseason game on August 26, 2022, one day after a civil lawsuit accusing him and two former San Diego State teammates of gang rape became public. The Bills released him the following day, on August 27, 2022. The team later stated that it had first become aware of the allegations in July, after the draft had taken place. Araiza has consistently denied the allegations, and the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office ultimately declined to file criminal charges, stating that the evidence did not support a criminal conviction.
Kansas City Chiefs Era (2024–Present)
Araiza signed with the Kansas City Chiefs on February 22, 2024, after he had been dropped from the civil lawsuit. The signing marked his return to an NFL roster and gave him the opportunity to restart his professional career with one of the league’s most stable organizations. In his first season with Kansas City, he quickly earned the starting punter job and became a key component of the team’s special teams unit.
In recognition of his strong first year in the league, Araiza was selected as an alternate for the 2025 Pro Bowl. He also played in Super Bowl LIX, where he punted six times for an average of 51.8 yards, setting a new Super Bowl record for punting average despite the Chiefs’ 40–22 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. His performance on the league’s biggest stage cemented his reputation as one of the NFL’s premier special teams weapons.
Driving Style and Strengths
Araiza is widely regarded for his exceptional leg strength and his ability to flip field position with booming punts. His combination of hang time and distance allows coverage teams to limit return opportunities, and his consistency as a directional punter makes him a reliable weapon in close field-position battles. Coaches have also praised his composure under pressure, an attribute that was on full display during his record-setting performance in Super Bowl LIX.
Notable Events and Milestones
Araiza’s career is defined by several signature milestones, including his NCAA single-season punting average record of 51.19 yards in 2021 and his Super Bowl LIX record of 51.8 yards per punt. He also became the second unanimous All-American in San Diego State history and won the prestigious Ray Guy Award as the top punter in college football. Off the field, he filed a defamation lawsuit against his accuser in July 2023, and both parties later agreed to drop their respective lawsuits in December 2023 without any admission of wrongdoing or financial settlement.
Matt Araiza Career Wins
Araiza’s most celebrated victories have come at the individual level rather than in traditional team win-loss terms, with his biggest triumphs tied to awards and statistical milestones. His 2021 Ray Guy Award, unanimous All-American selection, and NCAA record represent the peak achievements of his career to date. More recently, his Super Bowl LIX appearance and his selection as a 2025 Pro Bowl alternate added significant milestones to his professional resume.
College Highlights
During his time at San Diego State, Araiza set a school record with 22 made field goals in a single season as a redshirt freshman and later set the NCAA single-season record for punting average at 51.19 yards as a redshirt junior. His 2021 campaign also included Mountain West Special Teams Player of the Year honors and first-team All-Mountain West recognition. Those accomplishments established him as one of the most decorated punters in college football history.
Other Wins and Performances
Beyond his college accolades, Araiza earned honorable mention All-Mountain West honors in both 2019 and 2020, demonstrating consistent performance across multiple seasons. His first NFL opportunity with the Buffalo Bills and his subsequent signing with the Kansas City Chiefs also stand as major professional milestones. His record-setting Super Bowl LIX punting average further solidified his standing among the NFL’s top special teams players.
Matt Araiza Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Araiza is of Mexican descent through his father, who was born in Mexico. His family ties to Southern California helped shape his upbringing in San Diego, where he attended Rancho Bernardo High School and developed into a standout multi-sport athlete. While his family is not part of a traditional football lineage, his cultural background has remained an important part of his personal identity.
Personal Life
Outside of football, Araiza maintains an active presence on social media, with verified accounts on X and Instagram where he shares updates about his career and personal interests. He has spoken publicly about the emotional toll of the allegations he faced and has expressed gratitude for the opportunity to return to the NFL with the Kansas City Chiefs. Araiza has consistently maintained his innocence throughout the legal proceedings connected to the 2021 incident, and the resolution of those matters has allowed him to focus fully on his professional career.
2025 Season Performance
Heading into the 2025 NFL season, Araiza enters his second full year with the Kansas City Chiefs as one of the team’s most established special players. His selection as a 2025 Pro Bowl alternate in his debut season highlighted the immediate impact he made on the field, and his Super Bowl LIX performance raised expectations for what he could accomplish in the years ahead. The Chiefs’ decision to keep him as their primary punter signals continued confidence in his consistency and his ability to perform in high-pressure situations.
Throughout the early part of the 2025 season, Araiza has continued to play a central role in Kansas City’s field-position battles, using his strong leg to flip the field and pin opponents deep in their own territory. His partnership with the Chiefs’ special teams coaching staff has been a key factor in his smooth transition back into a starting role. With another full offseason to build chemistry, he has looked comfortable and confident in his second year with the organization.
Looking ahead, Araiza remains a candidate for full Pro Bowl recognition and is expected to be a central figure in the Chiefs’ pursuit of another deep playoff run. His record-setting performances in both college and the Super Bowl suggest that he is capable of producing on the biggest stages in football. As long as he stays healthy, he is likely to remain one of the most productive punters in the NFL for years to come.