McDermott/Beane press conference 8/27: Matt Araiza released

[White Linen]

4 minutes ago, Mango said:

He has a pending/open criminal investigation for rape in which he is named a suspect. 
 

In the interest of accuracy. 

 

You're right and so is he hasn't been criminally charged.  

[DabillsDaBillsDaBills]

3 minutes ago, Augie said:

 

I have not seen it yet, but this would be the approach I would hope for. This will NOT drag on, it is now history. Let’s learn form the past, but let’s all look forward. We have a season to play. 

 

Unless the punter we pick up at the last second sucks ass, and/or if Araiza is completely cleared and tears it up for a different team 

[KDIGGZ]

Browns might as well pick him up. It might take the heat off Deshaun Watson. They are already the dirtballs of the league, what do they have to lose?

[White Linen]

4 minutes ago, NickelCity said:

 

Only thing that struck wrong. He just have said "what was best for all parties."

 

Not sure why he kept putting it that way.

 

He could have also said, this decision could be terrible for the organization and Matt.  So I just don't see a big issue with him going that direction. 

Edited August 28, 2022 by White Linen

[Shake_My_Head]

1 minute ago, NickelCity said:

 

Only thing that struck wrong. He just have said "what was best for all parties."

 

Not sure why he kept putting it that way.

Makes total sense to me.   It's better for MA to handle this outside the fish bowl media circus that the NFL swims in.    It is between MA and the plaintiff--not a As the World Turns soap opera for fans to follow.

[4merper4mer]

1 minute ago, ganesh said:

Agreed.  This is a first PR misstep by Beane.   Are they really afraid that the players will revolt against the management for this action? 

 

Beane made a fair comment that the information was sealed and not available to them during the draft -  Fair enough.

However, they came to know about it on July 31st.  They have ignored such a serious thing and waiting 25 days for the bomb of the civil suit to come out before they took action.   This puts them in poor light on such a decision making, especially with a woman owner to whom they were reporting. 

And now, finally, if they had come out saying that the "Bills Image" was more important for the Owners, Coaches, Players and Staff then the Bills would have come out as an organization that cares.

If the Bills or any organization puts image above truth then their image will be an illusion.  We know a very small percentage of how much the Bills know, when they knew and the whole truth of the situation.  The Bills are simply not in a position to share details of something like this.  
 

Judging the Bills favorably or unfavorably at this point in time is silly.  Based on Beane and McD’s track record I give them a very strong benefit of the doubt.  I think they both care deeply about the truth because the truth is the only place from which a strong culture can be built.

[Augie]

Just now, DabillsDaBillsDaBills said:

 

Unless the punter we pick up at the last second sucks ass, and/or if Araiza is completely cleared and tears it up for a different team 

 

You weigh everything and make the decisions based upon what we know today. That’s all we can do. I’m generally not one to blame people using my 20/20 hindsight. People like to do this about draft choices. Sure, it’s easy 3 years down the road. 

[davefan66]

11 minutes ago, rpmfla said:

Beane stated several times that they were letting Matt go because they "thought it was best for Matt"...not once stating that they were doing what was best for the Bills organization. While I have always liked and respected Beane from what little I've seen and heard, that seems at the very least an obviously disingenuous statement.

The Bills did the right thing, and handled it mostly appropriately.  Poor judgement on verbiage of press release for one.

 

I don’t believe Beane was disingenuous at all.  He can only say what he can say.  He can’t say anything regarding either a criminal or civil case.  He can’t say anything bad about the player, the NFLPA wouldn’t allow it. 
 

He verbalized what he could say.  His actions and demeanor spoke volumes.  Especially Coach McD.

[SCBills]

7 minutes ago, ganesh said:

Agreed.  This is a first PR misstep by Beane.   Are they really afraid that the players will revolt against the management for this action? 

 

Beane made a fair comment that the information was sealed and not available to them during the draft -  Fair enough.

However, they came to know about it on July 31st.  They have ignored such a serious thing and waiting 25 days for the bomb of the civil suit to come out before they took action.   This puts them in poor light on such a decision making, especially with a woman owner to whom they were reporting. 

And now, finally, if they had come out saying that the "Bills Image" was more important for the Owners, Coaches, Players and Staff then the Bills would have come out as an organization that cares.

I don’t think players will revolt.  I’m sure some may agree with the decision, some may be disgusted by what they heard, but some may also realize that despite the “family” aspect, this is a business … and they have now seen firsthand that players are expendable if someone levels an accusation their way. 
 

That’s the case for most teams, but sometimes you start to buy in to the idea that the FO truly has your back.  
 

Im also sure some of the guys became friends with Araiza.  Tough to see that happen to someone if you know them personally and believe them.  

[wjag]

Just now, DabillsDaBillsDaBills said:

 

Unless the punter we pick up at the last second sucks ass, and/or if Araiza is completely cleared and tears it up for a different team 

There’s no jeopardy of that happening.  Araiza’s season is done.  After the whole  Watson saga, there isn’t a team in the NFL, XFL or CFL that will take him on until his legal situation is cleared up.  He just lost the most important thing to make this go away, money.  My guess is this will drag on now through this NFL season before it gets done.  The courts don’t move fast.  And if the DA seeks criminal charges, that timeline could be extended.  

[Malazan]

1 minute ago, DabillsDaBillsDaBills said:

Unless the punter we pick up at the last second sucks ass, and/or if Araiza is completely cleared and tears it up for a different team 

 

How long do you folks who have this fear think it's going to take to get cleared up? It's going to be weeks before the DA makes a decision on whether to prosecute. Longer for the grand jury. If it goes forward, the criminal case probably isn't going to get resolved this year. 

 

Until that time, every single player who does an interview is gonna be asked about it. It's going be everywhere. Now, by the time they play the Rams, this will be an old story. 

[Putin]

2 hours ago, Beast said:

 

Well then, I wonder what the other 31 NFL teams feel about innocent until proven guilty?

 

Who do you think will sign Araiza?

 

Here's a clue....don't hold your breath waiting.

 

The Buffalo Bills did the absolute right thing here. 

Are you saying he’ll never play in the NFL again ? 

[BuffaloBud17]

Watch the whole press conference. Beane kept saying there were no criminal charges but glad one reporter brought up it was still an open investigation. Also why they would hold on to this guy for weeks and keeping him over Haack was the most concerning. Hopefully they know now not to keep anyone with accusations of this serious nature until the case is resolved.

[syhuang]

14 minutes ago, ganesh said:

Agreed.  This is a first PR misstep by Beane.   Are they really afraid that the players will revolt against the management for this action? 

 

Beane made a fair comment that the information was sealed and not available to them during the draft -  Fair enough.

However, they came to know about it on July 31st.  They have ignored such a serious thing and waiting 25 days for the bomb of the civil suit to come out before they took action.   This puts them in poor light on such a decision making, especially with a woman owner to whom they were reporting. 

And now, finally, if they had come out saying that the "Bills Image" was more important for the Owners, Coaches, Players and Staff then the Bills would have come out as an organization that cares.

 

Beane was asked these kind of questions during the new conference.

 

 

 

 

https://buffalonews.com/sports/bills/bills-release-punter-matt-araiza-after-lawsuit/article_2a696b94-2648-11ed-8873-afd9d1a64e51.html

 

Beane said the team did not find out about the allegations until late July. The attorney for the alleged victim in the case, Daniel Gilleon, spoke with Kathryn D’Angelo, the Bills’ assistant general counsel, on July 31. Araiza's attorney, Kerry Armstrong, said Friday that he believed Araiza had told the Bills about the situation shortly after a June 3 story appeared in the Los Angeles Times. The story did not include the names of any San Diego State players. 

 

“We were trying not to rush to judgment,” Beane said. “And obviously Matt's version was different. And you want to give everyone as much due process as you can. Again, we're not a judge and a jury. ... “I would say it’s not easy, you’re trying to put facts around a legal situation, sometimes with limited information, and so ultimately that’s where we’re at today with a decision."

 

-------------------------------------------

 

Asked if the release of the 11-page civil suit brought to light details he wasn’t aware of, Beane said:

“Well, they were accusations,” Beane said. “It just clarified exactly what they were. And at that point, it's a real civil case. It's not a, this may happen. It's something that you have to respond to, and at this point we're not the judge and jury.”

 

-------------------------------------------

 

Asked why the team did not have follow-up conversations with Galliard or try to talk to Jane Doe after July 31, Beane said:

“I would say we had the boulders of what was going to be accused or alleged. But at that point, it wasn't an actual case. And there was, one of the things you look at is, where is this criminally? That’s what you're trying to find out. And so, we were just, again, trying to look at everything. (Any) one of those things on there, if true, would be a no go for us. You know what I mean? So we didn't need all that. We just needed to try and put as many facts together as we could in a limited amount of time.”

Added Beane: “All we were trying to do was use our resources in the time we had to put the pieces together and find out what happened, and Matt was very aware if anything was not on the up and up during our process that we would remove him. Once this became a civil case two days ago, it was very serious in nature, and we felt it was in Matt’s best interest.”

 

-------------------------------------------

 

The Bills released veteran punter Matt Haack on Monday, effectively declaring Araiza the winner of the punter competition.

“It wasn’t a civil case,” Beane said. “There was no criminal case. What we had was accusations that could come forward and we were still piecing it together. Obviously, 48 hours ago or sometime around then, a civil case was filed. We read through that and circled back again with Matt. Again, it’s a lot of things that right now we can’t close the loop on.”

 

-------------------------------------------

 

Beane said Araiza’s agent was unaware of the accusations until late July. 

“His agent did not know,” Beane said. “Our understanding without getting into it is that Matt learned sometime this summer that he was being investigated, and that’s when he hired, I don’t know the date, but I believe he hired his attorney sometime around the time we found out.”

 

Edited August 28, 2022 by syhuang

[Beck Water]

35 minutes ago, ganesh said:

Is this the case of the scouts (or the Bills internal investigations team) doing a piss poor job of NOT knowing of a police complaint against the player ?   I think these are the folks who need to be fired for putting this franchise in this position.   And if they did know about it and put it under the mat, Kim should be personally firing them

 

TBH, I'm not sure how information about police complaints gets disseminated.  I believe Araiza or his lawyer said that the police didn't ask to interview him until after the LA Times ran stories about the case in early June.  So he may not have known there was a criminal investigation?

 

But, students who called SDSU anonymously reportedly raised concerns that there were rumors of a rape at this off campus house circulating through the athletic department and the football team knew about it.....This is EXACTLY the sort of thing the area scouts/assistants and background investigators are supposed to pick up in the months leading to the draft.

 

Now I grant, a 6th round pick and a small school without tons of prospects don't get the same attention as the guys who are picked in the top 3 rounds.  But they shouldn't get no attention.

[ExiledInIllinois]

"Our culture here is more important than winning football games." ~BFLoBills GM Brandon Beane

 

I can respect this!!!!! 

[Malazan]

Just now, Putin said:

Are you saying he’ll never play in the NFL again ? 

 

No team will touch him until the criminal and civil cases are resolved.

 

If the DA declines to prosecute and he settles the civil case (or it gets dropped) quickly then he could see a team look his way later this year. 

 

All other options would take too much time for a team to look at him this year. If the criminal or civil case is resolved by him losing in court then yea, never. 

[Doc]

3 minutes ago, BuffaloBud17 said:

Watch the whole press conference. Beane kept saying there were no criminal charges but glad one reporter brought up it was still an open investigation. Also why they would hold on to this guy for weeks and keeping him over Haack was the most concerning. Hopefully they know now not to keep anyone with accusations of this serious nature until the case is resolved.

 

He might know something we don't.  And it would jibe with the victim's lawyer filing a civil suit before a criminal charge is brought.

[Mrbojanglezs]

Just listened to the press conference, they did a fine job, Jay and Tim just wanted to catch them with got ya questions or discrepancy in timelines.

 

They did the right thing with not rushing to judgement.They probably would have held on a little longer but the seriousness of the allegations in the actual suit rather then just hearsay + the onslaught of cancel culture they caved.

 

It's probably for the best but I'm not gonna lie that I don't feel great about potentially having a top talent at punter to bottom of the cut heap, but in the end we don't need a top talent at punter and it's for the best.

 

If Matt is wrongly accused I hope he finds justice, if not and any of it is true then may he rot in prison. 

Edited August 28, 2022 by Mrbojanglezs

[AuntieEm]

2 hours ago, Mij yllek said:

so much for innocent until proven guilty

 

    This isn't a statement about if they think he's innocent or guilty.  This is the best thing for all parties.  Bills have no reason to be involved in his legal issues.  He is either innocent of guilty and likely there's maybe a bit of both considering there's alot of conflicting claims out there over what are facts.  He needs to focus his attention on clearing his name as best he can if he is innocent.  If he is innocent he shouldn't be trying to juggle learning to play at the nfl level and trying to prove his innocence.  If he's guilty then I'm glad his chance is being revoked and I'd expect most decent people would agree. If the facts clear him and prove he's innocent he can then sign with any team and resume his career.

 

 

 If he's innocent and they just used his fame as a NFL rookie to bring enough bad press to try to get a cash settlement.  It would be justice if there were no money to squeeze  Araiza for and could make it easier for his team to defend him with facts and not have to fight the claims he's being protected by the big money nfl just because he' s good at punting.  

 

  If he was still on the Bills there's no way he'd be able to keep his mind on playing to his best potential and to be focused on clearing his name of the accusations which still may have criminal charges pending the results of the criminal investigation and processing of the rape kits.

 

  I hope the truth does come out whatever it is so that all parties get justice in this matter. Anyone that has no personal ties to any of the parties involved should want the truth no matter which way it leads as the resolution to this matter.

 

Edited August 28, 2022 by AuntieEm

[HalftimeAdjustment]

7 minutes ago, SCBills said:

 

Im also sure some of the guys became friends with Araiza.  Tough to see that happen to someone if you know them personally and believe them.  

 

It is also possible that some guys befriended him, but after the accusations came out they did NOT believe him. It is totally possible for someone you know or like to commit a heinous crime.

[MJS]

I like their explanations. Everything they said makes sense. This is something that could drag on without a resolution for more than a year. You can't have a player on your team for that long playing in games like everything is normal. And I like how they said that Matt Araiza needs to focus on this and not on football. Makes sense.

 

Good on them for trying to do the right thing, not rushing to judgement, and trying to do what they can with the information they have. I do think they have a lot more information than we do. And I think they were far more transparent and honest than they even needed to be. Proud of Beane and McDermott. They are really good guys.

 

If Araiza turns out to be innocent, I hope the Bills are the first team in line to welcome him back. If he is guilty, may he rot in hell.

[SCBills]

5 minutes ago, HalftimeAdjustment said:

 

It is also possible that some guys befriended him, but after the accusations came out they did NOT believe him. It is totally possible for someone you know or like to commit a heinous crime.

Sure, but I was responding to a post about Beane potentially worrying about locker room dissent/backlash. 
 

Under your premise, cutting him would lead to none.  
 

Based on Beane’s comments, it sounds like they don’t believe he’s guilty.   Now maybe they don’t know if he’s completely innocent either.. but that’s the read I get, and I’d bet many of the players likely feel the same. 
 

Edited August 28, 2022 by SCBills

[ExiledInIllinois]

Any word from Vic's lawyer (not on Twitter)?

[Mark92]

When Beane came to the Bills he instantly cleaned house because of the culture.  No way Araiza was sticking around.  

[BADOLBILZ]

20 minutes ago, Nelius said:

Great move. Had to be done. People are apparently recoiling at the awful details, but yet you still have the handful of always contrarians that feel he, of all people, got a bad deal...

 

 

You do realize that the player you glorify with your screen name......Cornelius Bennett.........was charged with rape, *****, sexual assault and unlawful imprisonment to boot.......plead it down to just anally raping the woman without her consent.            

 

But you think you are a voice of perspective on how to feel about a sexual assault claim?    

 

 

[Mike in Horseheads]

1 minute ago, ExiledInIllinois said:

Any word from Vic's lawyer (not on Twitter)?

Vic who?

 

[Augie]

1 minute ago, ExiledInIllinois said:

Any word from Vic's lawyer (not on Twitter)?

 

I think he only exists on Twitter. Not an expert there, but that’s how it seems. 

 

 

He’s probably bummed that there is no longer a big paycheck to go after. 

[ExiledInIllinois]

1 minute ago, Mark92 said:

When Beane came to the Bills he instantly cleaned house because of the culture.  No way Araiza was sticking around.  

The "Mean Bean Machine!"

 

[AuntieEm]

7 minutes ago, HalftimeAdjustment said:

 

It is also possible that some guys befriended him, but after the accusations came out they did NOT believe him. It is totally possible for someone you know or like to commit a heinous crime.

 

 

  Also none of us knows Araiza and there's not been any onslaught of character witnesses for or against his character.  I have no idea if he's always been a player with the girls as a star athlete he may have a sense of entitlement that led to his current situation.  By the same token the character of the accuser also must be investigated.  Any serious allegations require thorough vetting of the character of parties on both sides.

 

 

 

Edited August 28, 2022 by AuntieEm

[Warcodered]

3 minutes ago, ExiledInIllinois said:

Any word from Vic's lawyer (not on Twitter)?

The victim's lawyer? Nothing about this, just continuing to bash the other lawyer.

[Augie]

2 minutes ago, BADOLBILZ said:

 

 

You do realize that the player you glorify with your screen name......Cornelius Bennett.........was charged with rape, *****, sexual assault and unlawful imprisonment to boot.......plead it down to just anally raping the woman without her consent.            

 

But you think you are a voice of perspective on how to feel about a sexual assault claim?    

 

 

 

Not to get too far off track, but this is why I buy Bills gear but own zero jerseys. 

[ExiledInIllinois]

Just now, Augie said:

 

I think he only exists on Twitter. Not an expert there, but that’s how it seems. 

 

 

He’s probably bummed that there is no longer a big paycheck to go after. 

 

What did he think was gonna happen.  He's not ***** -ing with the Cowboys,  scuzzy Browns, Pats*, Raiders or Fins!

 

Mess with the Bills, get the evangelical horns! Probably why they told Vic's lawyer to ***** off 3 weeks ago and then he withdrew his extortion offer!

[Nelius]

5 minutes ago, BADOLBILZ said:

 

 

You do realize that the player you glorify with your screen name......Cornelius Bennett.........was charged with rape, *****, sexual assault and unlawful imprisonment to boot.......plead it down to just anally raping the woman without her consent.            

 

But you think you are a voice of perspective on how to feel about a sexual assault claim?    

 

 

 

It's actually also my name but hey heck of a jump. I'll change the pic if it bothers you that much.

[Rochesterfan]

32 minutes ago, rpmfla said:

Beane stated several times that they were letting Matt go because they "thought it was best for Matt"...not once stating that they were doing what was best for the Bills organization. While I have always liked and respected Beane from what little I've seen and heard, that seems at the very least an obviously disingenuous statement.

 

Totally Disagree.

 

Beane and McD stated they were releasing Matt because it was best for him to focus on this case.  Beane especially pointed out a couple of times that this was bigger than an wins - Matt needs to focus on himself.

 

Beane also stated the reputation/culture the team is building is bigger than wins or losses on the field.

 

He in essence says this decision is about our culture and that is paramount to Sean and I.  At the same time - as McD stated last night - some things are bigger than the game and right now Matt needs to focus on that.  This is more than his livelihood and career - this is Matt’s life and freedom and if he is innocent as he states - he needs to defend himself and focus on that. 
 

If he is guilty - then he needs to be punished and in either case - he is better off focusing on himself until this is settled.

 

 

[ExiledInIllinois]

1 minute ago, Augie said:

 

Not to get too far off track, but this is why I buy Bills gear but own zero jerseys. 

Wearing other's jersey is creepy.  You and me aren't the QB's girlfriend in Grade 10 study hall on a Friday afternoon! 😉

[SCBills]

3 minutes ago, Augie said:

 

I think he only exists on Twitter. Not an expert there, but that’s how it seems. 

 

 

He’s probably bummed that there is no longer a big paycheck to go after. 

He had to of known that by filing the suit and then going bonkers ridiculous on Twitter that he wasn’t going to be for long with an NFL punter to go after. 

[Beck Water]

Wawrow's story a bit more critical in tone:

https://apnews.com/article/buffalo-bills-nfl-sports-lawsuits-football-9fac9edf3951eced03da159485c340e4

 

I can't say he's unfair.

 

Quote

In the face of a major public backlash and internal questions over the decision to award Matt Araiza the punting job, the Buffalo Bills reversed course by cutting the rookie on Saturday, two days after a lawsuit was filed alleging the player and two college teammates gang-raped a teenager last fall.

 

“The last 48 hours have been very difficult for a lot of people. It’s been tough. And you know, we sympathize with this whole situation, all the parties involved, this young woman, what she went through,” general manager Brandon Beane said during a 26-minute news conference alongside coach Sean McDermott.

 

“But at this time, we just think it’s the best move for everyone to move on from Matt and let him take care of this situation and focus on that. So, we’re gonna part ways there,” Beane added.

 

Quote

Beane said the Bills were not aware of the allegations made against Araiza at the time they drafted him. And had they known, Beane said, they would have removed him from consideration.

 

The decision to cut ties with their sixth-round draft pick out of San Diego State comes after Buffalo cleared the way for Araiza to take over the punting duties by releasing returning veteran Matt Haack on Monday.

 

The Bills opted then to keep Araiza even while being aware of the allegations made against him since late July. The team then stood by the player by announcing it “conducted a thorough examination” into the matter a day after the lawsuit was filed.

 

Quote

Asked about the decision to cut Haack, who subsequently was picked up by the Indianapolis Colts, Beane said:

“That’s a tough one. You can second guess whether that was the right move. We’ll definitely look at that going forward if this situation or a similar situation happens.”

 

Quote

Beane said the team did as much as it could in getting as many details as possible, while noting many of the allegations were unavailable because the results of the San Diego police investigation has not been released. He said the team decided not to “rush to judgment” based on the information it had, while noting Araiza never changed his version of what happened.

“You want to give everyone as much due process as you can. Again, we’re not a judge and a jury,” Beane said.

 

McDermott then interjected by saying the team did consider the victim’s version of events as contained in the lawsuit.

“We did take those very seriously. I want everyone to understand that. That’s a serious deal right there,” McDermott said.

 

Araiza’s release begins to ease a crisis which has shaken the team as reflected by McDermott having difficulty containing his emotions while discussing the situation following a 21-0 preseason loss at Carolina on Friday night.

 

Quote

In Buffalo, the focus shifts to why the Bills weren’t aware of the allegations against Araiza when selecting the San Diego State player in the sixth round of the draft in April. Though he was college football’s top punter last year, and earned the nickname “Punt God” because of a booming left leg, Araiza was the third punter selected in the draft.

 

This is from an earlier AP article and Beane has since clarified when the Bills became aware

Quote

 

It’s unclear whether Araiza informed the NFL about the allegations in the months leading up to the draft.

 

Executives from two different teams told The Associated Press they became aware of Araiza’s involvement in an incident during the draft process, but neither person knew the extent of the allegations. Executives from three other teams said they had no knowledge of the allegations against Araiza before the draft and only learned of the incident Thursday. All the people spoke to The AP on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter.

 

Though it’s unclear when the Bills first became aware of the allegations, they knew by the end of July when Dan Gilleon, the lawyer representing the alleged victim identified in the lawsuit as “Jane Doe,” contacted the team’s legal counsel, Kathryn D’Angelo, by email.

 

 

[ExiledInIllinois]

6 minutes ago, Mike in Horseheads said:

Vic who?

 

Victim (AKA: Jane Doe)

[Motorin']

3 minutes ago, Augie said:

 

I think he only exists on Twitter. Not an expert there, but that’s how it seems. 

 

 

He’s probably bummed that there is no longer a big paycheck to go after. 

 

Actually, he got his client what she wanted. She said last month she's not in it for the money and that she doesn't want MA to make money in the NFL. 

 

It was Araiza's attorney that reached out and offered for a cash settlement first. Her attorney said no settlement. It was Araiza's attorney that warned not to force the Bills hand to cut him bc they're be no money to get. 

 

They want public, said it wasn't about money. Now he's cut and won't get his salary. The claim that it's a cash grab holds little water.