CNN —

NFL rookie punter Matt Araiza has been released from the Buffalo Bills days after he and two other football players were accused in a lawsuit of gang raping a then-17-year-old girl during an off-campus party at San Diego State University last year.

"This afternoon, we decided that releasing Matt Araiza was the best thing to do. Our culture in Buffalo is more important than winning football games," team general manager Brandon Beane announced on Saturday.

Araiza and two other current or former San Diego State University football players are accused of gang-raping the girl at a Halloween party last year, according to a lawsuit filed Thursday by the attorney for the plaintiff identified in court documents as "Jane Doe."

Araiza and his co-defendants, Zavier Leonard and Nowlin "Pa'a" Ewaliko, were on San Diego State's football team at the time of the alleged incident last October.

Araiza's attorney, Kerry Armstrong, told CNN Friday his client did not rape the accuser.

"The facts of the incident are not what they are portrayed in the lawsuit or in the press. I look forward to quickly setting the record straight," Araiza said in a statement issued through his attorney.

Jane Doe says she attended a party in the San Diego area with friends, but was separated from them when she met Araiza, according to the claim. The filing further asserts Araiza "could observe that Doe was heavily intoxicated" and "handed her a drink anyway."

"Doe informed Araiza that she attended Grossmont High School. Araiza, who was 21 years old, knew or should have known that Doe was a minor," the complaint says.

Araiza's attorney disputed the claim, saying, "He never used any force against her. She was not visibly intoxicated. He did not hand her a drink with anything in it."

The complaint says Araiza led the girl to a bedroom where "there were at least three other men already in the bedroom," including Leonard and Ewaliko, who were both at least 18 at the time.

"Doe was raped for about an hour and a half until the party was shut down. Doe stumbled out of the room bloody and crying," said the complaint.

The girl reported the alleged incident the next day to the San Diego Police Department and underwent a rape examination at a hospital, according to the lawsuit.

Nowlin "Pa'a" Ewaliko's lawyer Marc Carlos told CNN in a phone interview he sees some issues with Doe's credibility and the circumstances under which she reported the event. "The filing of the civil suit is clearly an attempt to put pressure on the DA to file a case," he said. Ewaliko is not enrolled at SDSU this semester, according to Carlos.

Zavier Leonard's attorney Jahmal Kersey declined to comment but told CNN they are aware of the lawsuit.

The San Diego County District Attorney's Office said the investigation is under review, but did not indicate when a charging decision will be made.

San Diego State released a statement saying it "takes allegations of sexual assault seriously," but was not able to release specific details on the case due to privacy concerns stating the allegations were still under "active university investigation." The statement said further a violation of the university's student code of conduct could potentially result in "suspension, dismissal or expulsion."

The Buffalo Bills were made aware of the allegations in late July when they were contacted by a representative of the alleged victim, Beane said in a news conference Saturday.

"The last 48 has been very difficult for a lot of people. It's been tough, and we sympathize with this whole situation, all the parties involved," Beane said.

"Ultimately, this is a legal situation. We don't know all the facts and that's what makes it hard, but at this time we just think it's the best move for everyone to move on from Matt and let him take care of this situation and focus on that," Beane added. "So, we're going to part ways there."

LOS ANGELES — In just seven days, the Buffalo Bills will take on the defending Super Bowl Champion Los Angeles Rams at So-Fi Stadium in LA to kick off the NFL season.

Preparations are already underway for the game as more than $24,000 worth of Labatt Blue was delivered to Los Angeles this week in anticipation of Bills fans making the trip for the game.

The order was placed by Fans of Buffalo in coordination with Los Angeles Bills Backers, South Bay LA Bills Backers, Orange County Bills Backers, and San Diego Bills Backers.

If you're making the trip, ABC affiliate WKBW spoke to the official Bills organizations on the West Coast to find out where fans can celebrate. You can find that information here.

The game is set to begin at 8:20 p.m. on Sept. 8.

Anthony Reyes at WKBW first reported this story.

CLEVELAND — After monitoring Buffalo’s forecast for days, the NFL has decided to move the Cleveland Browns game against the Bills to Detroit because Buffalo expects to be hit with a massive snowstorm.

"Due to public safety concerns and out of an abundance of caution in light of the ongoing weather emergency in western New York, Sunday's game against the Browns will be moved to Ford Field in Detroit," the Buffalo Bills tweeted.

The Bills added that the kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m., WKBW reported.

The team said details regarding tickets and other game day information will be "announced shortly."

Snow showers and squalls were expected for the tailgate and the game, with heavy snowfall forecast this weekend into the tailgate.

Temperatures are forecasted to be in the 20s in Buffalo, with wind chills in the teens. Snow totals are expected to reach several feet this weekend.

The last time the Bills had a game moved due to snow was in 2014. The team was scheduled to face the New York Jets at home, but the game was moved to Detroit.

With Sunday's game being moved to Detroit, WKBW reported that the Bills would be playing in Detroit twice in the same week as the team is scheduled to play the Lions on Thanksgiving.

This story was first reported by web staff at WEWS.

There's new attention on ensuring an automatic external defibrillator, also known as an AED, is accessible in youth sports.

An AED helped save Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin's life when he went into cardiac arrest during a Monday Night Football game.

Sudden cardiac arrest is the number one killer of student-athletes.

Research shows that having an AED on-site increases someone's chance of survival from 8% to 80%.

Craig Goldenfarb runs the nonprofit organization Heart in the Game, which donates AEDs to venues that host youth sports.

He said money is just one of the major obstacles preventing organizations and schools from acquiring AEDs.

"Just like a fire extinguisher, you have to maintain it," he said. "You got to keep the batteries live. You got to keep the electrodes live."

He also notes that policies about where and how AEDs are stored have to be in place.

However, help could come from a bill moving through Congress. The Access to AEDs Act would allow the Department of Health and Human Services to give grants to institutions that put AEDs in schools.

Sudden cardiac arrest in young athletes is usually caused by an undiagnosed heart condition, according to the Sports Institute.

Craig said parents should be proactive to protect their children.

"When you go to your pediatrician, ask them if they have an EKG machine because that will catch any abnormality," he said. "It's not part of a normal routine, physical for a child, but it should be."

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — Remarkable as Damar Hamlin’s recovery has been, the Buffalo Bills safety still faces a lengthy rehabilitation some three weeks after going into cardiac arrest and needing to be resuscitated on the field during a game in Cincinnati, his marketing representative told The Associated Press on Thursday night.

“Damar still requires oxygen and is having his heart monitored regularly to ensure there are no setbacks or after effects,” Jordon Rooney said. “Though he is able to visit the team’s facility, Damar is not in position to travel often, and requires additional rest to help his body heal.”

Rooney provided the update to emphasize Hamlin still faces hurdles since being discharged from Buffalo General Medical Center on Jan. 11. Hamlin's release came five days after his doctors said the player was breathing on his own, walking, talking and showing no signs of neurological damage.

Rooney's update also gave perspective to comments made by Bills coach Sean McDermott, who on Wednesday said Hamlin has begun making regular visits to the team’s facility. McDermott, however, stressed the 24-year-old was taking “a baby step at a time,” while adding, Hamlin is “dipping his toe back in here and getting on the road to just getting back to himself.”

Hamlin has not yet made a public appearance except for a photograph linebacker Matt Milano posted on his Instagram account of his teammate at the Bills facility on Saturday. And he's not yet spoken publicly except for posting messages on his social media accounts.

Rooney said Hamlin is being watched over by his parents and “remains very upbeat and grateful for the support he’s received from his teammates and coaches, Bills Mafia and people from around the world.” That outpouring of support has led to Hamlin's charitable foundation, Chasing M's, raising nearly $9 million in donations.

Without saying from where, he added, Hamlin will be cheering for the Bills on Sunday, when Buffalo hosts Cincinnati in an AFC divisional playoff.

Hamlin live-tweeted while watching Buffalo’s 35-23 season-ending win over New England from his hospital bed at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center on Jan. 8. Last weekend, he live-tweeted while watching from home the Bills’ 34-31 win over Miami in a wild-card playoff.

The game against Cincinnati carries additional significance. It marks the first meeting between the two teams since their game was canceled on Jan. 2, when Hamlin collapsed after being struck squarely in the chest while making what appeared to be a routine tackle of Bengals receiver Tee Higgins.

Hamlin's family and Bills quarterback Josh Allen have defended Higgins in saying he shouldn't be blamed for what happened.

On Thursday, Higgins said he couldn't be more appreciative of the family's support, while expressing hope Hamlin could attend the game so the two could meet.

“Just be happy to see him,” Higgins said. “I haven't really spoken to him. Just letting his family do what he needs to do with all his loved ones.”

Also on Thursday, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul extended her support to Hamlin during a phone call with the player. In a message posted on her Twitter account, Hochul referred to Hamlin as “an inspiration,” and let him know “the hopes and prayers of 20 million New Yorkers have been with him throughout his recovery.”

Hamlin, who is from the Pittsburgh area, replied by writing it was good meeting Hochul and he was “excited to see how our collaborations in the future will help and affect so many.”

As the 2021-22 NFL season ends, familiar faces will be coaching on different sidelines next season as several NFL teams go on a hiring spree.

The head coaching carousel didn't take off as fast as it typically does, with NFL Network's Judy Battista pointing out that the first hire didn't occur until 18 days after the regular season ended.

Nine teams announced they were searching for a new head coach, which is two more than last year, ESPN reported.

Three of the teams, the Minnesota Vikings, Houston Texans, and New Orleans Saints, have yet to fill their vacancies.

Below you'll find a list of all the teams that have hired new head coaches:

Chicago Bears - After going 6-11 this season, the Bears fired head coach Matt Nagy. They became the second team to choose a new head coach when they hired Indianapolis Colts defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus on Jan. 27. The 51-year-old has 13 years of NFL coaching experience, having spent time in Cleveland and Dallas. This will be his first-ever head coaching gig.

Denver Broncos - The Broncos were the first team to make a splash when they announced they'd hired Green Bay Packers offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett. On Jan. 27, the 42-year-old became its 18th head coach, its fourth head coach in seven years. The team has struggled at the quarterback position, with the team having 11 different starters since 2016, KMGH's Troy Renck reported.

Houston Texans - The team fired David Culley after just one season in which the Texans went 4-13, ESPN reported. According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport and Fox Sports' Jay Glazer, the team is set to hire former Bears head coach Lovie Smith.

Jacksonville Jaguars - In December, Urban Meyer was fired before finishing his first season as an NFL head coach. The franchise is looking to the future because the fifth team announced a new head coach when they added former Philadelphia Eagles coach Doug Pederson on Feb. 3. During his time with the Eagles, Pederson led the team to a Super Bowl LII victory.

Las Vegas Raiders - On Oct. 11, Jon Gruden resigned as head coach midway through the season after a report published by The New York Times stated that Gruden had made homophobic and misogynistic comments in the past. Under interim head coach Rich Bisaccia, the team clinched their first playoff berth since 2016.

On Jan. 31, the team named New England Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels its next head coach. This isn't McDaniels' first head coaching job. He served as the Broncos head coach from 2009-10.

Miami Dolphins - In January, the team fired head coach Brian Flores after he led the Dolphins to a 24-25 record over three years. On Feb. 1, Flores filed a class-action lawsuit against the league alleging racist hiring.

As the team looks to the future, they hired San Francisco 49ers offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel. McDaniel, who identifies as multiracial, is the first minority head coach hire in the 2022 cycle, the Washington Post reported.

Minnesota Vikings - The Vikings fired head coach Mike Zimmer on Jan. 10 and are expected to name Los Angeles Rams offensive coordinator Kevin O'Connell its next head coach, according to CBS Sports and Sports Illustrated.

New York Giants - The Giants became the third team to announce they've hired a new head coach when they picked Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Brian Daboll. The 46-year-old takes over from Joe Judge, who was fired on Jan. 11 after two seasons. This will be his first head coaching job, but he has 20 years of NFL coaching experience, including stops in Cleveland, New England, Miami, and Kansas City.

New Orleans Saints - After spending 15 seasons with the team and leading them to a Super Bowl championship in 2010, head coach Sean Payton announced on Jan. 25 that he was stepping down as head coach. They have yet to name a new head coach.

Walking into an emergency room near her home in Houston, Texas, Laurie Delgatto-Whitten knew the COVID-19 test she was there for would be far from pleasant, but little did she know the surprise bill she'd receive in the mail weeks later would prove to be almost as painful.

"It was a just a quick swab; it lasted maybe two minutes and that was it," she recalled.

Delgatto-Whitten got her COVID-19 test on May 18 and eventually received her negative test results about 10 days later. Then, in early June, she got a statement in the mail from her insurance company. Her bill totaled $3,165.92.

"I mean, I think it’s a total scam and in the midst of a pandemic, it’s even worse," she added.

However, under the CARES Act passed by Congress, COVID-19 tests are legally mandated to be covered. Over the past few months, though, some Americans have discovered flaws in the legislation. Because Delgatto-Whitten had already met her deductible, she personally didn't owe any money. But it's the principle of her insurance company agreeing to pay that astronomical bill that causes her deep concern.

"In the long run any cost insurance companies are taking on, they’re going to pass onto you. They’re going to be passed on to me," she said.

Healthcare advocate Michelle Johnson is concerned stories like Delgatto-Whitten’s will deter other Americans from getting tested at a time with the virus is still spreading rapidly across the country.

"If people think it’s going to cost money to go get a test they just won’t do it," Johnson said.

Johnson's advice is to request an itemized bill for any COVID-19 related procedures you might undergo. Aside from contacting your insurance company Johnson says to call your elected officials and let them know what's happening.

"The only solution is for elected officials to step up and do their job," she added.

Even amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 election marked the highest voter turnout in U.S. history. More than 158 million ballots were cast, representing an estimated 66% of eligible voters, according to Pew Research Center.

And even with the logistical challenges presented by expanding mail-in voting, the Department of Justice in December said it found no evidence of widespread fraud, and then-President Donald Trump’s cybersecurity director called the 2020 election the “most secure in American history.”

While expanded voting access did not compromise the security of the 2020 election, Republican-run statehouses are creating more impediments for voters in upcoming elections, possibly reacting to unfounded claims of fraud.

According to the Brennan Center for Justice — a nonpartisan law and policy institute — state lawmakers have introduced 253 bills that would restrict voting access in 43 states, as of last month.

The bills, backed largely by Republicans, would take actions ranging from purging names from voter registration rolls to restricting absentee balloting — generally making it more difficult for Americans to cast a ballot.

Of those 253 bills, 50 of them (about 20%) come from Arizona, Georgia, Michigan and Pennsylvania — all of which went for Biden in 2020 after going for Trump In 2016.

But as the New York Times reports, Republicans’ push to institute stricter voting laws goes across the board and is likely fueled by Trump’s refusal to concede the election. Even in states like Iowa, where expanded access ran smoothly and still resulted in Republican wins, the GOP is curtailing voting rights.

Last month, Republicans voted along party lines to tighten absentee voting and impose other restrictions. In passing the vote State Sen. Jim Carlin, a Republican echoed lies from President Donald Trump about a “stolen” election.

“Most of us in my caucus and the Republican caucus believe the election was stolen,” Carlin said, according to the New York Times.

Trump, still widely popular among Republicans, began a campaign against expanded voting access in the months leading up to the 2020 election. Despite evidence that points to mail-in voting being a secure and bipartisan option to expand access, Trump claimed — often without evidence — that absentee ballots would lead to fraud.

After his loss to Biden, Trump continued to spread misinformation. He filed dozens of lawsuits challenging the results of the 2020 election, nearly all of which were thrown out of court. None had a significant impact on any state’s elections results.

Trump’s claims came to a head on Jan. 6, when thousands of his supporters rioted at the U.S. Capitol in an effort to halt the certification of Biden’s electoral college win. They were gathered in D.C. for a "stop the steal" rally, named after a rallying cry of Trump's supporters.

Five people died as a direct result of the riots, including a Capitol police officer.

While Trump was acquitted of inciting a riot, some prominent Republicans — including Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell — continued to blame Trump for sparking the riot, citing his numerous false claims about the election.

Trump’s rhetoric continues to have an impact on Republicans’ faith in elections. In January, 72% of Republican respondents to a Vox poll said they question the results of the election.

Democratic lawmakers in the House have already passed a sweeping voting rights bill that would counteract the GOP efforts at state levels. However, the bill will likely face a tough road to passage in the Senate, where it would need the support of at least 10 Republicans to pass.