Say hello to the Kansas City Chiefs’ new punter for the 2024 season.
Barring a late addition at the position, the job will seemingly go to “punt god” Matt Araiza, who has officially beaten out promising BYU prospect Ryan Rehkow as of June 13. Chiefs Digest reporter Matt Derrick relayed the corresponding cut after the KC Star’s Sam McDowell announced the signing of Montana defensive lineman Alex Gubner.
“Can confirm the Chiefs are signing DL Alex Gubner from Montana. He attended minicamp on a tryout basis [and] @SamMcDowell11 had it first,” Derrick noted. Adding: “Club released P Ryan Rehkow to free roster space, per source. Matt Araiza appears to be the winner of the punter job for now.”
Rehkow stepped onto the scene in May as a top-ranked punter despite going undrafted. Local Deseret News journalist Jay Drew referred to the BYU specialist as “arguably the greatest punter the [Cougars] program has ever produced.”
Rehkow averaged 47.4 yards per punt over the course of his college career and 48.4 yards per punt in 2023, per Drew. Since Kansas City released him ahead of training camp, the rookie should get another opportunity to win a job before Week 1.
Chiefs Sign DL Alex Gubner — an ‘Experienced’ & ‘Versatile’ Prospect
The Chiefs brought in several defensive lineman on June 11 and Gubner was one of them. In the end, the Montana graduate won the minicamp competition and will likely earn a longer look in training camp.
Gubner was a redshirt senior who did not play in 2020 due to the pandemic. In other words, his long collegiate career began back in 2018 and did not end until 2023.
The Montana football website lists him as a defensive tackle that weighs in at 6-foot-3 and 284 pounds. He’s appeared in 58 games for the university, logging 172 total tackles with 28.5 of them resulting in a loss of yardage.
Gubner also recorded 10.5 sacks at Montana, with four interceptions, eight pass defenses and one forced fumble. He accounted for one block.
NFL Draft Diamonds (NDD) scouted Gubner as an “experienced, versatile player who is solid overall against the run and pass.” His “subpar size” was the concern ahead of the draft, however.
NDD blamed that physical weakness as the cause of Gubner’s difficulty “maintain[ing] gap integrity consistently against double team/combo blocks from [a center/guard] with good size, play strength and foot drive.”
Having said that, Gubner has shown fight, winning a spot on a very competitive 90-man roster. He profiles as a three-technique D-tackle and a practice squad candidate for defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo.
Matt Araiza Wins Second Chance He’s Been Searching for With Chiefs
Araiza was first exonerated of criminal charges in a sexual assault case in December of 2022. One year later, it was agreed upon by the plaintiff that his name be dropped from the lawsuit altogether, per AP News.
“I am deeply gratified for the thorough work of the DA’s office in San Diego and for all the witnesses that were willing to come forward and tell the truth,” Araiza told Pro Football Talk in May of 2023. “I am thankful that the facts of this case as provided by the witnesses will prove that what I have been saying from the beginning is, in fact, the truth.”
Despite the outcome of court proceedings, it took Araiza until the 2024 offseason to find a new home, signing a contract with the Chiefs.
“I am proud and honored to sign a contract with the Chiefs [and] I am thrilled to be able to continue my NFL career,” Araiza stated via his agency on X at the time. Adding: “I want to thank my family, who have been my rock and my many friends who have been unwavering in their support. I am excited to begin the next phase of my career with the Super Bowl Champs!”
Araiza will now replace All-Pro punter Tommy Townsend officially. At San Diego State, the standout talent averaged 51.19 yards per punt — an NCAA record — along with a record 18 60-yard punts and six “likely” 70-yard punts.
Now it appears Araiza will retake the football field as an NFL professional in 2024.
