ClutchPoints
The San Francisco 49ers have been searching for answers on special teams, and Jake Moody’s struggles forced the team to take action. Moody had entered 2025 determined to turn things around after a shaky 2024, even adopting a two-step kicking approach inspired by legends like Adam Vinatieri and Mason Crosby.
He hoped the adjustment would bring consistency after battling through a nagging ankle injury last season. For a while, the plan looked promising. Kyle Shanahan even noted surprise at Moody’s preseason work. But the regular season brought renewed issues, leaving San Francisco little choice but to explore alternatives.
On Tuesday, according to Mike Garafolo from NFL Network via X, formerly Twitter, the 49ers are bringing in veteran kicker Eddy Piñeiro, who worked with current Niners special teams coordinator Brant Boyer during his time with the Jets in 2012. Piñeiro has quietly built one of the more consistent resumes in recent years.
Over his last three seasons with the Carolina Panthers, he converted 89 percent of his field-goal attempts, showing reliability from multiple ranges. San Francisco hopes that consistency can stabilize a unit that has been anything but steady.
The timing is crucial. The 49ers edged the Seahawks 17-13 in Week 1, but Moody’s missed opportunities nearly swung the game. He hit the upright on a 27-yard attempt and had another field goal blocked, leaving the door open for Seattle. Although he connected on a 32-yarder late, the damage to his confidence and to the team’s trust in him appeared irreversible, leading the San Francisco 49ers to waive him.
For San Francisco, the situation is particularly painful because Moody was a third-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, a rare investment of high draft capital into a kicker. While he showed promise early, his playoff misses as a rookie and double-digit whiffs in 2024 amplified the doubts. The front office had little margin for patience entering 2025, especially with Super Bowl aspirations on the line.
Piñeiro isn’t guaranteed the job yet, but the workout underscores how quickly things can change in the NFL. If he signs, the veteran will have the task of restoring calm to the 49ers’ kicking game ahead of their Week 2 matchup with the New Orleans Saints.
The post 49ers trying out ex-Panthers, Jets kicker to replace Jake Moody appeared first on ClutchPoints.
