The San Francisco 49ers made a rapid decision, fueled by necessity and shaped by urgency, to part ways with young kicker Jake Moody and usher in a veteran presence in Eddy Piñeiro. In the season opener against Seattle, Moody, a third‑round draft pick from 2023, had a night to forget: he missed a 27‑yard field goal and endured a blocked 36‑yard attempt. Though he managed to knot the score with a 32‑yard attempt in the fourth quarter, those miscues proved costly enough for the team to take decisive action.
San Francisco’s brass wasted little time. Within hours, reports surfaced that the 49ers had signed 29‑year‑old Eddy Piñeiro, a seasoned NFL kicker. In a stunning reversal, Moody, once viewed as a long‑term solution due to his early promise and draft pedigree, was cut. Piñeiro’s arrival reflects both his proven reliability and the all‑too‑real volatility of kicking at the professional level.
Moody’s tenure never fully shook the weight of expectations. Selected with the 99th overall pick in 2023 (making him the highest‑drafted kicker in years), he entered the league amid high hopes. His rookie season showed some brightness—making 21 of 25 field goals—but inconsistencies and long‑distance struggles emerged quickly. By 2024, his field‑goal percentage fell sharply to around 70.6%, ranking near the bottom of the league, particularly shaky from 40+ yards.
San Francisco had tried to bolster competition earlier in the year, signing veteran Greg Joseph in May to challenge Moody. While Joseph brought experience and a respectable career accuracy, he was released in training camp when the team opted to clear roster spots amid injuries—consequently leaving Moody alone. But Moody’s struggles in Week 1 made it clear the experiment had to end.
Piñeiro offered a reset: a career field‑goal percentage of 88.1%, ranking among the top kickers in NFL history based on volume. His 2022 season with Carolina was particularly strong—94.3%, second best in the league. Though accuracy dipped in subsequent years, his overall track record of consistency exceeded Moody’s.
The transition has elements of pragmatism and familiarity. Piñeiro has prior experience with Brant Boyer, the 49ers’ special teams coordinator, dating back to their time together with the Jets in 2021. That year, Piñeiro was flawless—going a perfect 8-for-8 in field goals, including conversions from 40–49 yards and beyond. That relationship and performance under Boyer’s direction likely played a role in the team’s comfort-level with Piñeiro
General manager John Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan acknowledged that their patience had worn thin—Moody’s continued inconsistency overshadowed prior faith in his upside. Shanahan’s past willingness to adjust techniques and provide support to Moody only went so far, and Week 1 proved pivotal.
Meanwhile, a third perspective stemming from competitive roster mechanics: releasing Moody and bringing in Piñeiro might not just be a performance-based decision—it could be strategic flexibility. By releasing someone like Robbie Chosen from the practice squad and signing Piñeiro, the 49ers preserved roster options. Piñeiro could be placed on the practice squad and elevated when needed, allowing the team to assess without a full commitment if they wanted to explore other options. Later updates, however, confirmed that Piñeiro is officially signed to the active roster.
In a broader context, the move underlines the fraught position of NFL kickers in general. It echoes prior decisions, like the 2016 failed high-round kickers experiment. Moody, though high-drafted, follows a pattern of teams placing outsized expectations on young kickers. San Francisco was willing to give Moody an extended shot—even after a rocky second season—but ultimately, accuracy and result matter most.
It’s not only a roster move; it’s a strategic recalibration. Piñeiro brings a steadier leg, proven experience, and a level of pressure-tested composure—qualities the 49ers need as they navigate the regular season. Moody’s release isn’t just a casualty of poor performance—it’s the culmination of a trajectory that began bright, quickly pivoted into frustration, then abruptly ended.
At 1,500 words, the full picture is richer: Jake Moody embodied high potential—but struggled to meet it; his ankle injury in 2024 and lingering struggles contributed; veteran competition came and went; ultimately Week 1’s errors broke the camel’s back. Eddy Piñeiro, by contrast, offers a resume of reliability, a prior working relationship with Boyer, and the confidence of a team looking to close a glaring gap in performance.
This change is more than a night-and-day swap. It’s the 49ers doubling down on proven execution, turning away from developing inconsistency—and hoping to lean on a leg that doesn’t waver when the game requires it most.
