Soon the job will get tougher for Matt Araiza.
He’ll have to punt outdoors in windy, cold weather.
If the former San Diego State All-American and Rancho Bernardo High School graduate aims to keep his Kansas City Chiefs coaches and teammates happy, hell need to send fewer punts into the end zone.
But there’s no question that, through the first seven games of his first NFL season, Araiza’s performance qualifies as a big success for him and the Chiefs.
The 24-year-old Punt God stands fourth of 34 qualifiers in yards per punt (51.6), fifth in net yards (44.8) and eighth in percentage of punts (50) to inside the 20. His touchback rate (16.7%) is high, ranking next-to-last.
Now, let’s dig into the team context because it’s extraordinary.
In their attempt to become the first team to win three consecutive Super Bowls, the NFL-leading Chiefs (7-0) are desperate for competence or better from low-salaried players.
The hunger for bottom-roster bargains owes to several Chiefs stars commanding salaries that rank among the NFL’s top five at their positions, leaving less money to spend on the grunts.
Travis Kelce? His salary cap charge of $19.6 million leads all tight ends.
At left guard and center, Joe Thuney and Creed Humphrey stand first, too — at $28 million and $5.2 million.
Patrick Mahomes? At $37 million, he’s fifth among quarterbacks. Justin Reid’s $14.3 million ranks fifth among safeties.
That’s not all.
In the recent trade market, the Chiefs sought a receiver to fortify a position hit hard by injuries. They were able to fit veteran DeAndre Hopkins onto their roster without going over the salary cap. Desirous of a defensive end who can blunt the loss of Mike Danna, they dealt for another veteran, Josh Uche, this week.
Araizas salary is just $795,0000, tied for 30th in the NFL at his position, per overthecap.com. Twenty-one other punters count as more than $1 million against their team’s cap, including 17 between $2 million and $3.975 million. So far, Arraiza has outpunted several of those rivals.
There’s a much-publicized backstory to why Araiza’s pay isn’t higher.
The Bills drafted him in August 2022 but cut him four months later after he was accused in a civil lawsuit of participating in a gang rape while at SDSU. Four months later, prosecutors announced no charges would be filed against Araiza. Araiza has since been dropped from the lawsuit filed by his accuser, who was 17 when the alleged rape occurred. Araiza agreed to drop his defamation countersuit against her.
When the Chiefs signed him in February, Arraiza could command only a rookie-level salary because he accrued no service time in the two NFL seasons after he was drafted.
So his cap charge is more than $200,000 less than for the players drafted one spot ahead of him.
Of course, it takes a lot more than leg strength to succeed as an NFL punter.
Araiza has had to adjust to faster rushes and stricter demands for directional punting and hang time. To win the job, he had to show he could handle kick placements as a holder. He didnt hold while at SDSU because he was the Aztecs kicker in addition to his punting duties.
In Araizas second NFL game, his perfect placement led to Harrison Butker’s 51-yard field goal as the clock expired, beating the Bengals.
His best game has come against the team formerly based in San Diego. Averaging 50 yards per punt, none of which were returned, he put four punts inside the Chargers 20 in K.C.s 17-10 victory. That was one of Araizas four games inside a dome.
The Chiefs play outdoors, and winter is coming. As K.C. attempts to get the AFCs No. 1 playoff seed, Araiza will be counted on to help.