It's been an eventful, and extremely hot, training camp thus far for the Kansas City Chiefs, with some undrafted players making a name for themselves and veterans fiercly battling for spots on the final 53-man roster.
Fans know that the left side of the offensive line and back end of the wide receiver room have been the most discussed position battles, though one underrated showdown has drawn eyes as well.
Special teams coordinator Dave Toub raised eyebrows by suggesting that the starting punter job was up for grabs. However, after the latest roster cut news, it's official that one player has won that gig.
🚨 BREAKING 🚨
— Chiefs Blitz (@ChiefsBlitz) July 30, 2025
The #Chiefs are waiving punter Eddie Czaplicki.
Matt Araiza has officially won the punt battle.
Per, @JesseNewell.
Chiefs Cut Punter Eddie Czaplicki to Officially Make Matt Araiza the Starter
As reported by Jesse Newell of The Kansas City Star, the Chiefs waived Eddie Czaplicki on Wednesday. That leaves 25-year-old Matt Araiza as the only punter on the roster, sealing his status as the starter going into the first preseason action.
Czaplicki was a star at USC, earning the Ray Guy award as the nation's best punter during his final season. Araiza won the award back in 2021 at San Diego State and was drafted in the sixth round of the 2022 NFL Draft by the Buffalo Bills, though an off-field allegation, of which he was eventually cleared, led to his release.
That gave the Chiefs an opportunity to pounce, and Araiza was the starter last year. He averaged 41.5 net yards per punt as Tommy Townsend's replacement, landing an impressive 40.3% of his punts within the opponent's 20 yard line. Nicknamed the "Punt God" for good reason, Araiza has one of the strongest legs in the league and should continue to develop with more experience.
Though Czaplicki made it a stiff competition, it always felt likely that Araiza would win the job. By releasing him prior to the first preseason game, Kansas City is doing Czaplicki a solid and giving him an opportunity to latch on with another organization. Toub declared that he's an NFL punter, so this allows him the chance to beat someone else out or even join a practice squad to prove himself.
Now, the Chiefs turn their attention to the remainder of training camp and their initial preseason contest against the Arizona Cardinals on August 10. As the days go by, we'll see more cuts and position battles won. This is the first, but it certainly won't be the last.