Matt Araiza

[NewEra]

23 minutes ago, JoPoy88 said:

You think the other owners are seriously going to entertain giving the Bills a roster exemption to carry a second punter?

 

“I said to keep a second punter or get the nfl to make a roster exemption for the bills to carry Araizq.”
 

you can’t make this still up!! 🤣 😂 

[Milanos Milano]

1 minute ago, JoPoy88 said:

I mean he’s just a punter and they’re expendable. Again, just business. I couldn’t care less who the punter is. It has minuscule affect on their chances in the long run.

 

Beyond the team though, yes I hope Araiza is able to get some sort of vindication beyond this prosecution report. Whether it be through a countersuit or something else I believe he deserves that at least. 
 

But the Bills don’t owe him squat.

Araiza is the most exciting punter in like forever. You have no idea how pumped up I was when we drafted him. If the Bills care about family and oneness, they will do the right thing and bring Araiza in to compete against Martin. 

1 minute ago, NewEra said:

 

“I said to keep a second punter or get the nfl to make a roster exemption for the bills to carry Araizq.”
 

you can’t make this still up!! 🤣 😂 

It’s called Justice. If the NFL cares about it, they will see to it. 

[JoPoy88]

2 minutes ago, NewEra said:

 

“I said to keep a second punter or get the nfl to make a roster exemption for the bills to carry Araizq.”
 

you can’t make this still up!! 🤣 😂 

I’m not following did I say the underlined? 

[NewEra]

1 minute ago, IronMaidenBills said:

Araiza is the most exciting punter in like forever. You have no idea how pumped up I was when we drafted him. If the Bills care about family and oneness, they will do the right thing and bring Araiza in to compete against Martin. 

They don’t care. They are heartless.  They’ve been conning us all this time.  Evil is all I see

Just now, JoPoy88 said:

I’m not following did I say the underlined? 

No

3 minutes ago, IronMaidenBills said:

Araiza is the most exciting punter in like forever. You have no idea how pumped up I was when we drafted him. If the Bills care about family and oneness, they will do the right thing and bring Araiza in to compete against Martin. 

It’s called Justice. If the NFL cares about it, they will see to it. 

They don’t.  They won’t. Evil I say!!  We should boycott the nfl and all of their team forums starting now!  You go first, I’m right behind you 

[birdo67]

I prefer the punter we have.

[JoPoy88]

7 minutes ago, IronMaidenBills said:

Araiza is the most exciting punter in like forever. You have no idea how pumped up I was when we drafted him. If the Bills care about family and oneness, they will do the right thing and bring Araiza in to compete against Martin. 

and that’s fine - you’re obviously more excited about punters than I ever could be. 
 

look, the kid got railroaded. It sucks. I’m sure Beane is reading the same **** tonight and extremely mad at all the same people we are mad at. He should get another chance in the NFL (which I think he will, given he signed and then backed out of the Mexican league deal right around the time this meeting between the prosecutors and the (edit: ALLEGED) victim happened.) And who knows, maybe he ends up back on the Bills one day.

Edited May 9, 2023 by JoPoy88

[BigDingus]

If you don't think this will get traction in the media, I think you should just wait until a team signs him. It'll be talked about everywhere. 

 

The Bills don't owe him an apology though. They never accused him of anything, and said they wanted to let him go out and defend himself. If i remember correctly, he also didn't disclose to the Bills that this was being investigated?

 

Either way, everybody loves a comeback story, so I'm sure he'll get his chance again. Just sucks it was delayed for over a year and won't be for us.

[birdo67]

Lack of due diligence and plenty of stupid actions by everyone involved.

[Milanos Milano]

1 minute ago, BigDingus said:

If you don't think this will get traction in the media, I think you should just wait until a team signs him. It'll be talked about everywhere. 

 

The Bills don't owe him an apology though. They never accused him of anything, and said they wanted to let him go out and defend himself. If i remember correctly, he also didn't disclose to the Bills that this was being investigated?

 

Either way, everybody loves a comeback story, so I'm sure he'll get his chance again. Just sucks it was delayed for over a year and won't be for us.

Why do fans take such a weak stance? Why can’t it be us? It’s never us. Fight for this team to bring him back, don’t just accept woe is me. 

[JoPoy88]

1 minute ago, IronMaidenBills said:

Why do fans take such a weak stance? Why can’t it be us? It’s never us. Fight for this team to bring him back, don’t just accept woe is me. 

well one reason might be Araiza isn’t interested in coming back to the Bills after cutting him over this stuff. You’ll never know the full story and even if the Bills were amenable to doing it he might just say no. He’s pretty much exonerated at this point. He’ll have other suitors.

[NewEra]

2 minutes ago, IronMaidenBills said:

Why do fans take such a weak stance? Why can’t it be us? It’s never us. Fight for this team to bring him back, don’t just accept woe is me. 

What do you plan to do to fight and bring him back?  Or are you just another weak fan that just talks big on the interwebs?  Do something about it.  Web talk is cheap. Be a true American ffs. 

[BillsFanForever19]

6 minutes ago, IronMaidenBills said:

If the Bills care about family and oneness, they will do the right thing and bring Araiza in to compete against Martin. 

 

If Araiza was up front about what was going on and didn't hide it, he wouldn't have been Drafted in the first place by the Bills. This was yet another reason they let him go. This was hanging over his head and no one knew about it until it blew up. Then Beane was left holding the bag and looking bad. And it created a massive distraction to the team.

 

The Bills don't owe him anything. Maybe they'll bring him into Camp and "do the right thing" in your eyes if he doesn't get an opportunity. But it would be a hollow invite as he wouldn't be the Punter of this team, unless Martin got hurt.

 

Martin has a 2.4 million dollar cap hit if he's released this season. They aren't going to eat that and pay Araiza on top of it, for a position as negligible as Punter. They aren't going to say "thanks for bailing out Matt, Sam. But he's been cleared and I know we just made a long term commitment to you that you earned, but.... see ya!".

 

I was pumped when we Drafted him too. I bought a "Punt God" shirt from Buffalo Fanatics. Still have it. It's an unfortunate situation all the way around. But Matt Araiza won't be a Buffalo Bill. Here's hoping someone else who has an opening gives him a chance.

[NewEra]

1 minute ago, BillsFanForever19 said:

 

If Araiza was up front about what was going on and didn't hide it, he wouldn't have been Drafted in the first place by the Bills. This was yet another reason they let him go. This was hanging over his head and no one knew about it until it blew up. Then Beane was left holding the bag and looking bad. And it created a massive distraction to the team.

 

The Bills don't owe him anything. Maybe they'll bring him into Camp and "do the right thing" in your eyes if he doesn't get an opportunity. But it would be a hollow invite as he wouldn't be the Punter of this team, unless Martin got hurt.

 

Martin has a 2.4 million dollar cap hit if he's released this season. They aren't going to eat that and pay Araiza on top of it, for a position as negligible as Punter. They aren't going to say "thanks for bailing out Matt, Sam. But he's been cleared and I know we just made a long term commitment to you that you earned, but.... see ya!".

 

I was pumped when we Drafted him too. I bought a "Punt God" shirt from Buffalo Fanatics. Still have it. It's an unfortunate situation all the way around. But Matt Araiza won't be a Buffalo Bill. Here's hoping someone else who has an opening gives him a chance.

We aren’t going to release Martin…. We’re going to get the NFL to give us an exemption so we can keep araiza and Martin. Cmon man. 

[JoPoy88]

3 minutes ago, BillsFanForever19 said:

 

If Araiza was up front about what was going on and didn't hide it, he wouldn't have been Drafted in the first place by the Bills. This was yet another reason they let him go. This was hanging over his head and no one knew about it until it blew up. Then Beane was left holding the bag and looking bad. And it created a massive distraction to the team.

 

The Bills don't owe him anything. Maybe they'll bring him into Camp and "do the right thing" in your eyes if he doesn't get an opportunity. But it would be a hollow invite as he wouldn't be the Punter of this team, unless Martin got hurt.

 

Martin has a 2.4 million dollar cap hit if he's released this season. They aren't going to eat that and pay Araiza on top of it, for a position as negligible as Punter. They aren't going to say "thanks for bailing out Matt, Sam. But he's been cleared and I know we just made a long term commitment to you that you earned, but.... see ya!".

 

I was pumped when we Drafted him too. I bought a "Punt God" shirt from Buffalo Fanatics. Still have it. It's an unfortunate situation all the way around. But Matt Araiza won't be a Buffalo Bill. Here's hoping someone else who has an opening gives him a chance.

Right? It’s funny some want to correct a grave injustice to one guy by doing an injustice to another guy, who absolutely earned his job and his extension.

[Milanos Milano]

1 minute ago, JoPoy88 said:

Right? It’s funny some want to correct a grave injustice to one guy by doing an injustice to another guy, who absolutely earned his job and his extension.

Nobody is saying that. Put pressure on the NFL to give the Bills a roster exemption. Let Araiza stay on until Martin finishes out his contract and they both can punt during the season. Win win. 

[Mango]

1 hour ago, IronMaidenBills said:

All of these decisions solely rested on the shoulders of Beane, McD, and the owners. They brought him in here, and released him without due process. That’s it. 

They aren’t a court of law. They can’t send him to jail. None of us have ever received any due process in any of our jobs. 99% of us are at will employees and can be released at any time. 

 

What planet do you live on?

[Milanos Milano]

Just now, Mango said:

They aren’t a court of law. They can’t send him to jail. None of us have ever received any due process in any of our jobs. 99% of us are at will employees and can be released at any time. 

 

What planet do you live on?

No, but they can keep him employed until he is tried in court and arrested. You know like normal American expectations. At will employment is travesty in this regard. 

[JoPoy88]

3 minutes ago, IronMaidenBills said:

Nobody is saying that. Put pressure on the NFL to give the Bills a roster exemption. Let Araiza stay on until Martin finishes out his contract and they both can punt during the season. Win win. 

I get it man. In a perfect world maybe that’s a feasible and equitable solution. It absolutely will not happen. If you want to start that pressure campaign on the league though, please do I’ll upvote it I guess.

[BillsFanForever19]

22 minutes ago, IronMaidenBills said:

Nobody is saying that. Put pressure on the NFL to give the Bills a roster exemption. Let Araiza stay on until Martin finishes out his contract and they both can punt during the season. Win win. 

 

In what scenario does a team carry and pay two Punters for a job one barely does?

 

This "pressure on the league for a roster exemption" and "fans fighting for justice" is so completely asinine.

 

The Bills probably want nothing to do with him. He probably wants nothing to do with The Bills. The Bills aren't going to push for some magical exemption that doesn't exist. We won't carry two Punters. We aren't releasing Martin. Fans getting upset on a Message Board isn't going to make the Bills do anything. 

 

I get you're upset, but the situation just is what it is. No amount of being upset by it is going to change anything.

Edited May 9, 2023 by BillsFanForever19

[Beck Water]

1 hour ago, IronMaidenBills said:

All of these decisions solely rested on the shoulders of Beane, McD, and the owners. They brought him in here, and released him without due process. That’s it. 

 

I don't know how old you are or what kind of employment you've had, but I'm guessing pretty young an/or pretty limited.

"Due process" is for courts

Maybe for a few professions, like police officers, with powerful unions behind them, have a process around firing a union member

 

What we have in the NFL is "employment at will".  The team can release any player, at any time, for any reason.  The league has clause in their CBA about not engaging in "conduct detrimental to the league", which is nice and vague and can be stretched in 100 directions.

 

They drafted him because they thought he had talent and could help the team, despite ?? about his holding skills.

They released him because he'd become a focal point for controversy, and the media shitstorm was going to be a massive distraction for the team.

That falls under "conduct detrimental".  They had no process which they were mandated to follow and didn't.

 

[Milanos Milano]

24 minutes ago, BillsFanForever19 said:

 

In what scenario does a team carry and pay two Punters for a job one barely does?

 

This "pressure on the league for a roster exemption" and "fans fighting for justice" is so completely asinine.

 

The Bills probably want nothing to do with him. He probably wants nothing to do with The Bills. The Bills aren't going to push for some magical exemption that doesn't exist. We won't carry two Punters. We aren't releasing Martin. Fans getting upset on a Message Board isn't going to make the Bills do anything. 

 

I get you're upset, but the situation just is what it is. No amount of being upset by it is going to change anything.

Things like this are why it’s getting incredibly hard to support the NFL anymore. It’s always Billsy, we always get the short stick of justice. 

[Punching Bag]

6 hours ago, SCBills said:

Yea, I don’t fault Beane at all.  The public pressure (and likely internal NFL pressure) was too much.  
 

You could tell Beane felt torn up inside to have to let Arazia go. 

 

NFL commissioner should have put him on suspended list like he did Browns QB where there was more evidence.

[Beck Water]

1 hour ago, BillsFanForever19 said:

The girl was underage. So even if it was consensual, it read as a public admittance of statutory rape and perpetuating underage drinking.

 

There is no coverage in law for "well, he thought she was 18".

 

I don't want to re-hash that long closed thread, but in California, apparently having a reasonable basis to believe someone is >18 is a legal defense.

[BillsFanForever19]

1 minute ago, Beck Water said:

 

I don't want to re-hash that long closed thread, but in California, apparently having a reasonable basis to believe someone is >18 is a legal defense.

 

A couple posters have covered this. And even if it's a technicality in California - it's still not a great look  nationwide to have it on public record.

[Beck Water]

1 hour ago, IronMaidenBills said:

Then I don’t want to hear a single statement from the Bills organization about how we are all a family and oneness when you throw your family under the bus at the slightest indication of adversity. It’s all a facade as this point until this is addressed. This franchise only cares about money and their image to the public. Everything else is a lie. 

 

I get it that you're upset, and to a certain extent I sympathize - obviously if the released information is vetted, Araiza has suffered serious and unjustified damages to his personal reputation and career.  On the other hand, would you honestly consider the allegations in the civil lawsuit (still filed against him) to be "slightest indication of adversity"? 

 

I wouldn't, and I would have to disagree with you if you do.

 

But yes, the NFL cares about money and its public image, and that goes for all 32 NFL teams as well.  Correct.

[Reks Ryan]

This is a good summary of why the prosecution did not move forward with the case.

 

https://www.yahoo.com/sports/prosecutors-former-bills-punter-matt-araiza-wasnt-present-during-alleged-gang-rape-225211550.html

[chongli]

Dan Gilleon is getting blasted on his twitter feed, but really no bad reviews on his Yelp page.

[BillsFanForever19]

1 hour ago, Limeaid said:

 

NFL commissioner should have put him on suspended list like he did Browns QB where there was more evidence.

 

An unfortunate technicality made him exempt from qualifying for the exempt list.

 

If your transgression happens before you are employed by an NFL team and you're a rookie who hasn't played in the league yet, you can't be put on the NFL Exempt list. Our options were to keep him or cut him.

 

I thought it was a dumb rule and technicality, but it was what it was.

[davefan66]

I hope a team gives him the chance to continue his career.  I’d like to see him continue with Buffalo, but don’t see that happening for some reason.

 

As diligent as the legal system is going after the people who commit these crimes, they need to go after the people who knowingly provide false information that leads to accusing innocent people.

[bmur66]

What happened to innocent until proven guilty?

The false accuser should be charged.

He should be given the chance in the NFL that was robbed from him and the Bills should do it.

 

Edited May 9, 2023 by bmur66

[GunnerBill]

It isn't just an American thing, sadly it is a social media generation thing. When the herd moves, it moves. I have very real concerns about how justice systems can function properly in this context. I have expressed them multiple times on this forum.

 

It was right that Araiza did not play in the league while this was properly investigated. But that due process has determined he has no case to answer. The focus should now be on helping this young man to rebuild his life and his career. If Brandon Beane announced tomorrow the Bills has re-signed him and that he would compete in camp I'd have no issue at all with that. 

[Buffalo_Stampede]

We’re taught to believe the accuser. Public shouldn’t know about the accusations.

 

[Mango]

I think a key to this whole thing from a moral point of view is that the young girl was too drunk to give consent. I know a lot of people in a number of large athletic departments and they all mention this is taught to student athletes all year every year. I think a 17 year old telling multiple

people to “eff me now or you’re a *****” likely falls under that category. And as far as the room goes, any person is allowed to pull consent at any time. She has the right while getting double teamed to say no. And if those men don’t, that is assault. 
 

My first thought reading the article is that this seems to directly challenge statements made by Araiza himself to the police.

 

I can certainly get behind the fact that everything doesn’t add up from her side. But I also don’t think this article absolves SDSU football or SDSU police what so ever.  
 

As far as I am concerned my big take away is something’s don’t add up from Araiza, the young woman, and others. It isn’t that she wasn’t assaulted, it’s that there isn’t enough evidence to move forward. 

[Steptide]

Could he Sue the bills/nfl for wrongfully cutting him? 

[GunnerBill]

10 minutes ago, Steptide said:

Could he Sue the bills/nfl for wrongfully cutting him? 

 

No.

[CSBill]

I hope he can get back to the NFL, and I for one, would love to see him come back to Buffalo.

[Buffalo_Stampede]

3 minutes ago, CSBill said:

I hope he can get back to the NFL, and I for one, would love to see him come back to Buffalo.

He definitely will. I was totally expecting the Bills to release him because it was a PR nightmare. But I also felt he’d have his chance again once it was all over. He’ll have a long career in the NFL.

 

[StHustle]

5 hours ago, BillsFanForever19 said:

 

Oh crap. That's another thing I forgot about. Thanks for the refresher!

 

The girl was underage. So even if it was consensual, it read as a public admittance of statutory rape and perpetuating underage drinking.

 

There is no coverage in law for "well, he thought she was 18". Or "ya know, things happen in college, I'm sure a lot of players have done this and not gotten caught".

You speak so confidently but you’re clueless. It’s ABSOLUTELY legal in California when it can be proven that you thought she was 18 cause she told you that. This should be the law in every state. Most 17 years olds look just like 18 year olds and what college kids ask to see ID before sex. Only an idiot would think someone should go to jail and become a sex offender for life simply for having sex with a girl lying and claiming she’s grown while hanging out at college parties drinking and acting like all the rest of the college students. 

[teef]

2 minutes ago, NUT said:

The believe all women thing is not working. Seems they lie.

You’ve never touched a breast…have you?

[StHustle]

1 hour ago, Mango said:

I think a key to this whole thing from a moral point of view is that the young girl was too drunk to give consent. I know a lot of people in a number of large athletic departments and they all mention this is taught to student athletes all year every year. I think a 17 year old telling multiple

people to “eff me now or you’re a *****” likely falls under that category. And as far as the room goes, any person is allowed to pull consent at any time. She has the right while getting double teamed to say no. And if those men don’t, that is assault. 
 

My first thought reading the article is that this seems to directly challenge statements made by Araiza himself to the police.

 

I can certainly get behind the fact that everything doesn’t add up from her side. But I also don’t think this article absolves SDSU football or SDSU police what so ever.  
 

As far as I am concerned my big take away is something’s don’t add up from Araiza, the young woman, and others. It isn’t that she wasn’t assaulted, it’s that there isn’t enough evidence to move forward. 

 

🙄 People like you annoy me. That law is clearly situational! You have to use common sense here. Do you know how many college girls often get drunk before having sex? What about guys? You realistically consider all those young men and women rapists??? You’ve never had sex with a drunk woman? I’d venture to say more men have than haven’t at least once in their lives (let’s say by age of 40) Do you think most men are rapists? See how your logic is flawed.

 

Furthermore for there to have factually been lie after lie after lie uncovered that she told yet you still give her any benefit of the doubt is extremely disgusting. Your type is why innocent people get out in jail and lives ruined. Have some common sense man.

 

Edited May 9, 2023 by StHustle