Previous San Diego State football player Matt Araiza — named Thursday in an assault claim — wasn't playing in Friday's NFL preseason game between his Buffalo Bills and the Carolina Panthers.
Araiza — named "Dropkick God" for his Aztec accomplishments — hasn't been charged criminally, yet the common suit in San Diego Superior Court clearly provided his new boss opportunity to stop and think.
NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport revealed that the Bills' newbie punter went with the group to Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina, on Thursday and went to pregame exercises Friday.
ESPN detailed that Araiza made an announcement during the game in which he said: "current realities of the episode are not what they are depicted in the claim or in the press. I anticipate rapidly clearing up everything."
Araiza was not seen on the sideline to begin the game.
"He is right now the main punter on the Bills' list," said the NFL report. "Bison reinforcement quarterback Matt Barkley drop-kicked for the group on Friday."
The game was deferred a half-hour because of lightning, and the Panthers were driving the Bills 14-0 at halftime.
In an explanation Thursday, the Bills said: "We were as of late made mindful of a common protest including Matt from October 2021. Because of the serious idea of the protest, we led a careful assessment of this. As this is a continuous common case, we will have no other remark as of now."
Rapoport said the NFL's Personnel Conduct Policy doesn't matter to episodes that occur before a player was drafted or joined a group.
"In the event that criminal accusations are recorded against Araiza, in any case, he would be dependent upon an association examination and likely disciplinary activity, per the association strategy," he composed.
Kerry Armstrong, Araiza's lawyer, has denied the assault allegation, as per the Los Angeles Times.