Mark Konezny-USA TODAY Sports
Punt God did it. After their second preseason match of the summer, the Buffalo Bills continued to downsize their roster as we move closer to solidifying the final 53-man club they will start the regular season with. On Monday, the team announced the release of veteran player Matt Haack, who spent the entire 2021 campaign in upstate New York. This release confirms that rookie Matt Araiza has officially won the punting job for the current Super Bowl favorite.
Araiza – who earned the nickname “Punt God” from his time at San Diego State – was drafted 180th overall in the sixth round of the 2022 NFL draft. During the exhibition season so far, Araiza has been eye-opening with his ability to jab balls almost the entire length of the field. In Buffalo’s preseason opener against the Colts, he had a booming 82-yard punt.
That was Araiza’s only punt so far preseason, but he’s demonstrated the ability to punt it for 80 yards all summer long and even back at the NFL Scouting Combine.
During his senior year at San Diego State, Araiza averaged 51.19 yards per punt, which broke an NCAA record. Araiza bet on punts between the 30s last year 63% inside the 20 yard line and 27% within the 10 with an average field position at the 16-yard line. He also comes to the NFL as the reigning Ray Guy Award winner, an award given to the nation’s top bettors.
Along with the release of Haack, the Bills also announced the release of wide receiver Tavon Austin.