Matt Araiza accused of rape, served with a lawsuit.

[Big Blitz]

On the recorded phone call to Araiza...

 

Does it make any sense if Araiza knew what happened to this girl, that his response would be "get checked for an STD."

 

 

How long after the incident was that recorded call?  

[ColoradoBills]

16 minutes ago, Beach said:

hope half of you arent my jury if im accused of anything

 

Agree, and the same is true for the other half if I'm a victim.  

That seems to go in regard to anything anymore.

[RocCityRoller]

4 minutes ago, QLBillsFan said:

I don’t know why they don’t just suspend him until the situation plays out. If the Bills were as through as they say- then they can bring him back. 
If it turns out he did all that he accused of then he is cut. In the meantime the Bills get a punter( who can hold).

The Bills statement really puts an intense amount of pressure on their credibility. At a time when the brand is at an all time high. This is a pivotal point for the franchise. If they get additional info they need to immediately apologize and take accountability. 

IMO this is what the commissioners exemption list is for. The headlines are nasty and attention grabbing. The details are being worked out by the police. Araiza can be put there until the details are all known.

[The Wiz]

Can someone start a new thread about Edmunds getting traded/cut/extended so we can really polarize this board?

[1ManRaid]

1 hour ago, BarleyNY said:

So some crafty 17 year old high schooler’s big plan was to go to a party, bang a punter and a bunch of his teammates, then immediately claim she was raped so that she might get a settlement from the punter if he got drafted half a year later even though her accusations could reasonably derail his career?  That’s what people are convincing themselves happened here?  SMDH

 

Way to intentionally not get the point.  It's about THERE'S NO EVIDENCE YET, and yes false claims do sometimes happen, especially when a popular athlete is involved.  There doesn't need to be some grand conspiracy on her end, she could just be mistaken and having false memories, she could be absolutely true, she could be telling an absolute lie, WE DON'T KNOW.  Also as for derailing his career, the alleged incident happened before NFL rules applied to him, so they can't punish him.  Any career derailment would have to be unofficial with teams just not wanting to sign him (Colin K), but you know damn well he'll have a million dollar job on any number of teams if the only controversy is a single unverified claim.  So yeah, the cash grab angle is still possible (not saying likely) especially with this only going public after he secured a starting job.

[BullBuchanan]

4 minutes ago, BIGFOOTspaceman said:

 

I mean, everyone here has the luxury of taking the wait and see approach.  Everyone here can take any position they like, it's their prerogative... It's a different situation for the Bills top brass. I don't envy the position they are in.  It's probably not as cut and dry as many are making out to be regardless of their position. 

I don't buy that at all. Releasing the player is about as cut and dry as you can get and easy to do.

[Rc2catch]

1 minute ago, Big Blitz said:

On the recorded phone call to Araiza...

 

Does it make any sense if Araiza knew what happened to this girl, that his response would be "get checked for an STD."

 

 

How long after the incident was that recorded call?  

11 days. But none of us really know what’s on that call. It’s what she said she remembers from the calls she made with the police if my memory is correct 

[C.Biscuit97]

It’s just wild that this regime has been near perfect and would even risk their reputations over a punter, even if it is the punt god. If they truly knew this was hanging over his head at draft, why even bother? Again, it’s a punter. 

[NickelCity]

That the Bills opted in to this sideshow is just baffling to me. They better have a good explanation. 

[BIGFOOTspaceman]

45 minutes ago, The Red King said:

 

By that argument we should have cut Von Miller for his supposed legal troubles earlier this year, before, you know, the charges and implications were all dropped.  Too many knee-jerk reactions here.

Did it involve Gang Rape? 

[Rico]

Florio's 3 takes below, still waiting for Sully's:

 

https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/08/25/matt-araiza-is-sued-for-gang-rape/

 

https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/08/25/nfl-cant-punish-matt-araiza-but-the-bills-could-cut-him-in-theory/

 

https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/08/26/did-the-bills-know-about-the-allegations-against-matt-araiza-when-drafting-him/

[YoloinOhio]

 

[What a Tuel]

57 minutes ago, BarleyNY said:

Wasn’t Araiza named in the criminal complaint filed the day after the alleged rape? 

 

Was he? Then hopefully he will be charged. Seems like people are going back and forth between forced and statutory rape. If he was involved in the actual gang rape then so be it. But then people bounce back to the idea that she was underage when they interacted outside. 

 

All this speculation is really telling that we actually dont have any info besides a civil lawsuit written by the plaintiffs attorney.

[Warriorspikes51]

Just now, NickelCity said:

That the Bills opted in to this sideshow is just baffling to me. They better have a good explanation. 

Clearly they know more than message board poster 

[Fleezoid]

24 minutes ago, K-9 said:

He’s the punter for the Browns, so I’m thinking they might not agree. 

 

I wouldn't be too sure about that. Araiza might be pretty appealing to the Browns right now. A clean trade might work.

[BillsFanSD]

Just now, C.Biscuit97 said:

It’s just wild that this regime has been near perfect and would even risk their reputations over a punter, even if it is the punt god. If they truly knew this was hanging over his head at draft, why even bother? Again, it’s a punter. 

They didn't know about this when they drafted him.  They just found out about a month or so ago.  
 

That said, they could have kept Haack or signed some other punter if they were concerned about Araiza.  It's not like they're heavily invested in this guy or anything.

[BIGFOOTspaceman]

1 minute ago, BullBuchanan said:

I don't buy that at all. Releasing the player is about as cut and dry as you can get and easy to do.

I'm just saying they have more to consider than we do.... Potential Innocence, guilt, optics, branding, etc. 

[Bills2022]

Just Cut him.

 

Even if he did not do it, he clearly is a low character guy and is a distraction. He can find another team if this clears up. 

 

Edited August 26, 2022 by Bills2022

[C.Biscuit97]

Just now, BIGFOOTspaceman said:

I'm just saying they have more to consider than we do.... Potential Innocence, guilt, optics, branding, etc. 

isn’t the opposite true? Even if he is “innocent,” dude raw dogged a 17 year knowing he had a STD and then passed her around to his teammates.  
 

is it really worth keeping at best a huge scumbag statutory rapist diseased punter when we are trying to make a zero distraction SB run? 

[K D]

Cut him and go into the season with no punter knowing you have to go for it on 4th down no matter what!