‘The Bills gave an indication of where this situation was headed when Sean McDermott decided not to dress and play Araiza in the final preseason game on Friday. Then they made the move to cut the rookie punter on Saturday evening. The team will be in the market for a punter because they released the only other punter they had at camp, Matt Haack, earlier in the week.’
Archives for August 2022
Bills release rookie punter Matt Araiza effective immediately
‘The Buffalo Bills released rookie punter, Matt Araiza on Saturday. Araiza has been accused, along with two others, of gang-raping a 17-year-old girl last year in a civil lawsuit filed on Thursday.’
Brandon Beane, Sean McDermott announced the release of Matt Araiza
‘”We just think it’s the best move for everyone to move on from Matt (Araiza) and let him take care of this situation and focus that,” Beane said.’
Araiza story dominates Bills’ defeat
‘Did Baltimore and the Buccaneers know something the Bills didn’t?’
Observations: Bills’ preseason winning streak ends with a thud in Carolina
‘For the Bills, it was more noteworthy who did play against the Panthers as opposed to who did not.’
Bills coach Sean McDermott calls Matt Araiza situation ‘extremely serious. Just hard to go through’
‘”It is a situation that is extremely serious. Just hard to go through and it’s not a situation that we or I take lightly whatsoever,” he said. “It’s very serious and I understand the sensitivity of the situation, it’s clear … we have work to do to continue to figure this thing out here, and we’re going to do that.”‘
Araiza denies rape; his accuser wrote in journal about being gang-raped hours after it allegedly happened
‘Araiza’s agent issued a statement from the Bills punter during the first half of the game that said: “The facts of the incident are not what they are portrayed in the lawsuit or in the press. I look forward to quickly setting the record straight.”’
Why Bills punter Matt Araiza not subject to potential discipline under NFL’s personal conduct policy
‘Araiza, however, cannot be disciplined by the NFL, no matter the outcome of the civil trial or end result of the criminal investigation. That’s because the reported incident predates his time in the NFL.’
With Sept. 1 looming, deadline for Bills stadium deal extended 45 days
‘But given that negotiations over the community benefits agreement are still in early stages and the fact that the state took until this week to share other important draft documents for other parties to review, all sides have now agreed to invoke the 45-day deadline extension provision.’
Bills make right call not playing Araiza in uninspiring loss to Panthers
‘With no other punter on the roster, third-string quarterback Matt Barkley handled the duties and, if nothing else, the Bills have at least found someone on the roster who could do the job in the unlikely event their punter – whether it’s Araiza or someone else – were to get hurt in a regular season game.’
Sean McDermott shaken by Matt Araiza rape allegation, wants to ‘do the right thing’
‘McDermott fielded 25 questions from the media including one about the game, which he declined to talk about given the gravity of the off-the-field situation surrounding Araiza.’
Matt Araiza has not been charged with a crime, but he has already admitted to one
‘At least on the surface, the Bills – who made the right call and did not dress Araiza for Friday night’s preseason game in Carolina – are trying to make us believe they did not know of the alleged incident when they used a sixth-round draft pick on the punter nicknamed Punt God four months ago.’
Bills WR Isaiah Hodgins shows physicality in preseason loss to Panthers. Will he make final 53? (Stock up, stock down)
‘In the preseason finale, Hodgins showed his physicality once more and leads the way in our stock up category. One glance at the box score and you wouldn’t know it, but Hodgins’ 4-for-19 stat line made a lasting impression. Hodgins hauled in two contested catches on his three receptions including one where he had the ability to catch the ball over the back of the Panthers player.’
Bills’ Sean McDermott gets emotional discussing Matt Araiza situation: ‘It’s not easy to to hear’
‘McDermott said it wouldn’t have been right for Araiza to play with everything going on. He also said that the Bills have work to do to get to the bottom of the story.’
Five Takeways: McDermott, Bills players comment on Araiza rape allegations following preseason loss to Panthers
‘As focused as the Bills wanted to be against Carolina, it must have been mighty difficult to put the off-the-field drama aside and concentrate on the game. That was proven true through a subpar performance by the Bills on both sides of the ball.’