'The competition is real' — Kansas City Chiefs special teams coordinator Dave Toub sends clear message to punter Matt Araiza
Kansas City Chiefs special teams coordinator Dave Toub put 2024 punter Matt Araiza on notice following Wednesday's OTAs practice session. The Chiefs brought in a UDFA punter for the second consecutive season to challenge Araiza for the starting job. Last season, Ryan Rehkow ended up with the Cincinnati Bengals after failing to beat out Araiza. This […]
Kansas City Chiefs special teams coordinator Dave Toub put 2024 punter Matt Araiza on notice following Wednesday's OTAs practice session.
The Chiefs brought in a UDFA punter for the second consecutive season to challenge Araiza for the starting job. Last season, Ryan Rehkow ended up with the Cincinnati Bengals after failing to beat out Araiza. This season, USC's Eddie Czaplicki will raise the stakes.
"Yeah, he's an NFL punter," Toub said of Czaplicki. "Again, this would be the third time we had this. We had it with Jack Fox. We had it with (Ryan) Rehkow, and we have it again, because both of these guys are NFL-caliber guys, and the competition is real. So Eddie's doing a great job at this point."
After beginning his career at Arizona State and transferring to USC in 2023, Czaplicki had a 2024 college football season to remember as a senior with the Trojans. His net average was 45.7 yards per punt, with 24 of his punts landing inside the 20-yard line. His performance earned First-Team All-American honors, Big Ten Eddleman-Fields Punter of the Year, and the Ray Guy Award, which recognizes him as the top punter in the nation.
While the Chiefs have only seen Czaplicki at rookie minicamp and six OTA practice sessions, Toub is convinced that the rookie has what it takes to punt in the league.
"I know it's early," Toub continued. "I know it's early, but he's very talented. He got hurt late in the year in college; he was a Ray Guy winner. I mean, last year, he got hurt late in the year. And he kind of slipped and didn't get drafted, and we pounced. You know, those guys did a great job of getting him in our building, and we've had the history of developing guys, and those guys moving on, so that helped us to be able to get a free agent that is the caliber that he is."
What Matt Araiza must do to win the punter competition in Year 2 with the Chiefs
In what amounted to his first year as a professional after rape allegations saw him released by the Buffalo Bills, Araiza had an up-and-down year with the Chiefs in 2024. "The Punt God" finished 10th in the league in yards per punt and 16th in punts downed inside the 20-yard line. In Super Bowl LIX, his leg strength was on full display, averaging a league record of 51.8 yards per punt on six attempts. He struggled most with his touch and accuracy, finishing the year tied for the most touchbacks (9) in the NFL.
What must he do to stave off Czaplicki and win the job for a second year?
"We're looking for him — he's got a bomb of a leg," Toub said of Araiza. "He can hit the ball long. We need more hang time on his punts, more vertical power, and then we need more accuracy in the pooch area, which is, you know, getting balls inside the 20-yard line. So, that's what he's really emphasizing during this offseason."
If the football of it all doesn't put Araiza on notice, the money should. Czaplicki's $5K signing bonus and $95K base salary are fully guaranteed. Meanwhile, Araiza's contract is not guaranteed as an Exclusive Rights Free Agent (ERFA). That won't necessarily factor into the decision, but if Dave Toub views both players as equals, it could certainly be the tiebreaker that tips the scales toward Czaplicki.
Kansas City Chiefs OTAs: Steve Spagnuolo reveals exciting trait shared by each 2025 defensive draft pick
Kansas City Chiefs DC Steve Spagnuolo got a new infusion of talent for his defense via the 2025 NFL Draft. Tennessee DT Omarr Norman-Lott, Louisville EDGE Ashton Gillotte, Cal CB Nohl Williams, and Oregon LB Jeffrey Bassa each bring their own unique traits and abilities to Spagnuolo's defense. However, one shared trait amongst the bunch […]
