USA TODAY International Edition
Araiza gets punting workout with Jets
The New York Jets are working out former Bills punter Matt Araiza, becoming the first team to host him since it was revealed he would not face charges after being accused of involvement in the alleged gang rape of a 17- year- old woman.
A person with knowledge of the situation confirmed news of Araiza’s workout Wednesday to USA TODAY Sports’ Josh Peter. The person requested anonymity because of the sensitivity of the situation.
ESPN was first to report the news of Araiza’s workout.
Earlier this month, USA TODAY Sports published a story in which it interviewed Araiza and his accuser and also obtained a 101- minute recording of when a San Diego County prosecutor met with the woman and her attorney. In the recording, the prosecutor gives a point- by- point explanation of why her office never charged Araiza and others with any crimes. The recording references nine brief video clips of the woman’s sexual encounters that night, none of which showed Araiza, who has denied wrongdoing.
“I know the teams know the true facts,” Araiza told USA TODAY Sports then. “They’ve heard the audio. They know this isn’t true. It’s that we need the public to understand as well. Because I think teams have a fear that if they sign me, there will be a little bit of backlash because the public has been told things that aren’t true.”
Araiza’s agent, Joe Linta, said he has sent the recording to about 20 NFL teams in hopes of getting Araiza’s career back on track after the Buffalo Bills released him amid the controversy last August.
A civil suit filed in August 2022 in San Diego County Superior Court had alleged that the then 21- year- old Araiza had sex with an inebriated 17- yearold high school senior outside of an off- campus party in October 2021 before bringing her inside a room where she was allegedly assaulted by multiple men for nearly 90 minutes.
The San Diego County District Attorney’s Office had announced in December 2022 that “the evidence does not support the filing of criminal charges and there is no path to a potential criminal conviction” against Araiza and his former former San Diego State football teammates who were also accused.