CHARLOTTE — The Buffalo Bills withheld rookie punter Matt Araiza from their preseason game Friday night in Charlotte against the Carolina Panthers, one day after he and two of his former teammates on San Diego State’s football team were accused in a lawsuit of participating in a gang rape of a minor during a party last year at an off-campus residence.
Bills withhold punter Matt Araiza from Friday’s preseason game
Araiza traveled with the team to Charlotte and was seen at Bank of America Stadium before the game. But he did not play, and Bills Coach Sean McDermott said that the team had “work to do” to determine Araiza’s status with the organization.
“People are hurting,” McDermott said during his postgame news conference. “Fans are hurting. I understand that. And, again, we want to find the truth and figure this thing out the right way and do the right thing. And that’s what I know to do, and that’s what we’re going to work on.”
McDermott said Araiza would return to Buffalo with the team. He declined to say whether the Bills would release Araiza in the coming days.
“It’s not a situation that I, or we, take lightly whatsoever,” McDermott said. “And it’s very serious. 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 issued a written statement earlier Friday night through his agent.
“The facts of the incident are not what they are portrayed in the lawsuit or in the press,” Araiza said. “I look forward to quickly setting the record straight.”
The lawsuit, dated Thursday, was filed in California Superior Court in San Diego County. It identifies the plaintiff as Jane Doe and says she was a 17-year-old minor on Oct. 17, at the time of the alleged incident. The lawsuit says Araiza, then 21, and then-teammates Zavier Leonard and Nowlin “Pa’a” Ewaliko “gang-raped Doe … inside the Residence during a Halloween party.”
The plaintiff attended the party, held at Araiza’s residence, with three of her female friends, the filing says. According to the lawsuit, the plaintiff “was observably intoxicated upon arrival.” Araiza handed her a drink in the home’s backyard, the lawsuit says, adding that “this drink not only contained alcohol, but other intoxicating substances.” The plaintiff told Araiza which high school she attended, according to the lawsuit.
The lawsuit alleges that Araiza “led Doe over to the side yard of the house where he told her to perform oral sex on him.” She complied, according to the lawsuit, which says that Araiza “pulled her up from the ground, turned her around facing away from the party, and used his penis to penetrate her vagina from behind.”
Araiza allegedly led the plaintiff to a bedroom inside the house with at least three other men, including Leonard and Ewaliko, present. According the lawsuit, the plaintiff “went in and out of consciousness while she was being raped.” The lawsuit says the plaintiff immediately informed her friends that she had been raped, and she reported the allegations to the police the following day.
According to the lawsuit, Araiza “confirmed having sex with Doe” during an Oct. 28 “pretext call” with her, during which she received instructions from detectives, and he told her to be tested for sexually transmitted diseases because he had tested positive for chlamydia. When Doe asked Araiza, on direction by the detectives, whether they’d had “actual sex,” according to the lawsuit, Araizia “changed his tone” and said, “This is Matt Araiza. I don’t remember anything that happened that night.”
Bills punter Matt Araiza is here. Came in on the third bus and just walked into the locker room. Not sure if he’ll play but sources indicate he will pic.twitter.com/3egFKQoxL5
— Mike Lacett (@mikelacett) August 26, 2022
Araiza’s attorney, Kerry Armstrong, has denied the rape allegations, telling the Los Angeles Times that the accusations are a “shakedown.” The Times reported that the district attorney’s office is weighing evidence submitted by detectives to determine whether to file criminal charges.
The NFL declined to comment Friday through a spokesman. The league’s personal conduct policy would not apply to Araiza in this case, even if the accusations are substantiated, because the incident occurred before the Bills chose him in the sixth round of this year’s NFL draft. The policy does say that a player who violates it while he’s in the league would be subject to enhanced or expedited discipline if there is a prior history of misconduct, including before he enters the NFL.
“We are aware of the matter but will decline further comment at this time,” the league said in a statement Thursday.
The Bills released veteran punter Matt Haack on Monday, seemingly giving the job to Araiza. But their decision to withhold him from Friday’s game put his status with the team in doubt. Quarterback Matt Barkley handled the Bills’ punting duties against the Panthers.
McDermott said he made the decision to keep Araiza from playing Friday, adding: “I just felt like that was the right thing to do. And that’s what I’m after, is doing the right thing.”
He said he hoped the team’s decision about Araiza would be made “sooner than later” but did not provide a specific timetable.
Asked about the women in the team’s fan base, McDermott said: “It’s not a situation we take lightly. I’m hurt. I understand they’re hurt. And it’s emotional. It’s not easy to hear about some of the things that I’ve heard about over the last several hours, say. And I haven’t slept a lot, to be honest with you, because this is a game, but there is other things that are more important than this.”
Barkley called the allegations “a bit shocking to see,” and added during his postgame news conference: “I’d rather not discuss my reaction or talk about it. Again, I know it’s a work in progress and there’s a lot to work through. I’d rather leave it at that.”
Jhabvala reported from Charlotte. Maske reported from Washington.
Source: WP
