Chiefs punter goes viral for his actions against his former team

The Kansas City Chiefs’ 15-game winning streak ended in Week 11 with a 30-21 loss to the Buffalo Bills, their first setback of the 2023 season. While the game revealed several areas of worry for the Chiefs, one of the most talked-about moments came from an unlikely source: punter Matthew Araiza.

Facing his previous team, Araiza executed a play that soon went viral, eliciting responses on social media.

Throughout the game, Araiza demonstrated his intensity in an unusual manner for a punter. After booting the ball, he went downfield, determined to throw a major hit on Bills punt returner Brandon Codrington.

Despite just missing Codrington, Araiza collided with Bills cornerback Cam Lewis, knocking him to the ground. The video of Araiza’s hustling and physicality went viral on X, garnering over 5 million views and a slew of fan reactions in less than 24 hours.

“That’s crazy,” one fan commented.

Another person joined in, “That boy a dawg!” expressing praise for Araiza’s tireless efforts.

Araiza, nicknamed the “Punt God” for his collegiate accomplishments and powerful leg, joined the Chiefs earlier this year following a spell with the Bills in 2022.

His presence has helped Kansas City’s special teams, but Sunday’s highlight brought an entirely new level to his reputation.

While the Chiefs lost the game, Araiza’s impassioned performance left an indelible impression, transforming a routine punt into one of the week’s most discussed moments.

His efforts against the Bills demonstrated not just his competitive spirit, but also provided an unexpected spark to an otherwise disappointing day for Kansas City.