The Kansas City Chiefs have had their focus on the 2026 NFL Draft, looking to address needs at offensive tackle, pass rusher, wide receiver, and other positions. At the same time, though, the front office has been working on retaining key depth pieces ahead of the new season, especially on the special teams. This week, that included bringing back Matt Araiza.

On Monday, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported that the Chiefs re-signed Araiza to a one-year deal. A little over a month ago, general manager Brett Veach had decisions to make on several players and placed Araiza and return specialist Nikko Remigio on exclusive rights free agent tenders. Others, including Mike Caliendo, Keontay Ingram, and Eric Scott, were allowed to test free agency.

Under ERFA rules, players aren’t permitted to negotiate with other teams, which gave Kansas City full control over the situation. From there, the Chiefs took the next step, first securing Remigio and then Araiza on new deals. The contract terms haven’t been disclosed for Araiza, but the reasoning is fairly straightforward.

Originally a sixth-round pick by the Buffalo Bills in 2022, Araiza entered the league with the nickname “Punt God” after a standout college career. At San Diego State, he set an NCAA single-season record with a 51.19 yards-per-punt average, won the Ray Guy Award, and earned unanimous All-American honors.

The early part of his NFL career, though, didn’t unfold the way it was expected to. After appearing in just three preseason games, Buffalo released him. It wasn’t until 2024 that the Chiefs stepped in and gave the 25-year-old another opportunity.

Since then, Araiza has handled full-time punting duties for Kansas City over the past two seasons. During that span, he has averaged 48.2 yards per punt, with 42.4% of his punts landing inside the opponent’s 20-yard line. In total, he has recorded 118 punts for 5,691 yards across those two seasons. Now, he’s set to remain in that role for at least one more year as the Chiefs continue shaping their roster for 2026.

This is a developing story. Stay Tuned!

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