Matt Araiza on What Will Make Him Unique as a Punter for Chiefs

Following a training camp practice, Araiza discussed his opportunity with the Chiefs and how he can make the most of it on the field.

Jul 26, 2024; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas City Chiefs punter Matt Araiza (49) walks from the locker room to the fields prior to training camp at Missouri Western State University. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports / Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

Despite having the same reliable options at placekicker and long snapper, the Kansas City Chiefs' special teams group will look different this season.

Part of that is due to changes to the NFL's kickoff rules. In and of itself, that provides special teams coordinator Dave Toub with plenty to think about. There's also a new punter in town, however, who will impact that aspect of the game and Harrison Butker's kicks when he holds.

After winning what was once described by Toub as a "real close" position battle with Ryan Rehkow, Matt Araiza is ready to maximize his new role in Kansas City.

Araiza, who is returning to the NFL after being cut by the Buffalo Bills in August 2022 following allegations from an incident at San Diego State, spoke to the media following Monday's training camp practice. He admitted that it was "tough to watch" games while he was out of the league. During that time, he went "back and forth" on whether he'd get another chance to play in the NFL.

Luckily for him, the back-to-back Super Bowl champions signed him in February and extended that opportunity. With All-Pro Tommy Townsend now with the Houston Texans, Araiza has big shoes to fill. He thinks that as a lefty punter, he can do just that while also bringing a unique level of impact to games.

"I've punted with a lot of guys in the NFL – a lot of guys come to San Diego during the offseason and train," Araiza said. "The one thing I think I have over everyone is how much my punts move. I've caused a ton of drops here, and I'm looking to see that on Sundays, I think that would be great. When someone muffs a punt, that is a huge, game-changing play. That definitely does go up being a lefty."

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Expanding on his process, Araiza said the ball "rotates a different way" and will "tail at the last second" after he kicks it. That dynamic movement is what helped get him drafted in 2022, as Buffalo added him in the sixth round. During his junior campaign at San Diego State, Araiza posted an average of 51.2 yards per punt. That finished tied with Michael Turk for tops in the nation, although Araiza had over twice as many kicks.

While the collegiate success is there, Araiza still has a lot to prove at the professional level. He understands the challenge of being a starting-level punter in the NFL, but he also doesn't let that affect how he fine-tunes his game.

"I think people do not talk about that often [enough], this is so clearly the golden generation of punting," Araiza said. "Punting has evolved so much. You compare all of us to 20 years ago, it's night and day. To me, I think my strength is power and consistency, so I don't care to get into all of those fancy punts. I don't think I need them. I think if I hit a deep, high ball with good direction, just do that as much as you can."

Entering what's essentially his rookie year all over again, Araiza said he received some interest from other teams while seeking a job. There was no better place for him, he feels, than Kansas City.

"I mean, where else would you want to be?" Araiza asked. "Honestly, that's what it comes down to. There's nowhere else I'd rather be."

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