Kansas City Chiefs punter Matt Araiza made headlines for all the wrong reasons last year, shortly after earning the starting role with the Buffalo Bills. However, after getting himself cleared and putting that part of his life behind him, the 24-year-old talent has begun to go viral for what he joined the NFL for; punting.
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He was even dubbed ‘Punt God’ by his fans in college, a nickname that has stuck with him in the NFL. Now, all that remains is for him to take the field in a real game and showcase his talent. The former San Diego State player did not get a chance to prove himself after being drafted and cut by the Bills before he could take the field.
Nevertheless, Araiza is geared up to take the field with the defending champs, even leaving an impression during his training. The latest video of the aspiring star shows him punting the ball almost the length of the football field multiple times, with an impressive hang time. Here’s the video of Araiza punting a long one with ease:
WOW: New #Chiefs punter Matt Araiza is HITTING BOMBS while training.
The “Punt God” has one of the best legs we’ve ever seen, with the ability to PUNT 85+ YARDS, with a crazy hang time.
(h/t @chiefstorm2)
pic.twitter.com/93gEfe3BSM— MLFootball (@_MLFootball) June 28, 2024
Notably, the Bills received intense criticism for releasing Araiza while simultaneously losing him to the Chiefs, who, following their Super Bowl victory this year, picked up the punter.
The Bills Mafia was even discussing ways to get Araiza back, but alas, the boat had sailed away. With expectations to make a run for a three-peat, and with the change in kickoff rules, Araiza seems to be a massive addition to the Chiefs’ special teams, and a big blow for the Bills. That being said, he did record an 82-yard terrific punt for the Bills in 2022:
Bills’ punter Matt Araiza connected on this 82-yard punt: pic.twitter.com/w8WAqUfqy1
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 13, 2022
It’s also worth mentioning that fans were thoroughly impressed by Araiza’s ability to punt the ball so high you barely see it with a single camera.
NFL World Reacts to Matt Araiza’s Unreal-Looking Punts
After the turmoil he faced in his personal life, Araiza has been well-received by NFL fans. They believe he was falsely accused, so seeing him get back to the field is a welcome change. But those who already dislike the Chiefs for their dominant run do not appreciate how loaded they are, even in special teams. Here are the best reactions:
After everything he went through, HES GOING TO BE A PRO BOWLER
— No Swim Zone (@noswimzone) June 28, 2024
Some fans were waiting for these videos to come out:
They call him the punt god for a reason
— DarkoSo❌ething101 (@sui_bk) June 28, 2024
Excited to have him, just hopefully we don’t have to punt too much
— Storm Dynasty (@chiefstorm2) June 28, 2024
While others reminded Araiza that he has really tough competition at the pro level:
Not even the best punter in his division
— Tristen Kuhn (@KuhnTristen) June 28, 2024
Araiza has to show what he’s made of in the gridiron, and maybe then he can etch his name at the Pro level. But for now, his practice videos are enough to hype up Chiefs Nation. And with the start of the season still a good three months away, fans will have to make do with just that.
