Signing the Third-Most Accurate Kicker in NFL History Is a Blessing for the 49ers

The 49ers finally did what every fan has wanted them to do since the end of last season. They waived third-year kicker Jake Moody after an abysmal kicking performance in their narrow Week One win against the Seattle Seahawks. His 27-yard field goal miss when the game was tied at seven in the second quarter was the final straw for head coach Kyle Shanahan and the team’s front office. Many questioned why Moody survived this long on such a storied franchise. The fact was that the coaching staff wanted to truly give Moody every chance to redeem himself and instill confidence in his potential as the team selected the former Michigan kicker with one of their three third-round picks in the 2023 NFL Draft. San Francisco allowed kicker Greg Joseph to compete for the position in training camp this offseason. However, he failed to capitalize on the opportunity as Moody won the job. 

After an ankle injury early into his sophomore season, Moody’s confidence was shot, and his accuracy would dip significantly. In 2024, he would record 70.6% accuracy on his kicks, which showed a drop-off from his 84% accuracy as a rookie. San Francisco gave every opportunity to come up clutch in the biggest moments, but he never could. The closest Moody ever got to being dependable was in Super Bowl LVIII when he kicked a then-Super Bowl record 55-yard boot. The trajectory of his career clearly displays the reason teams have stopped taking kickers with valuable draft picks. History tells us that some of the best kickers in the NFL were either selected late into Day Three of their draft or went undrafted. Former Ravens and future HOF kicker Justin Tucker went undrafted in 2012, just to put into perspective.

Now, transitioning to the signing of 29-year-old veteran kicker Eddy Pineiro, he brings San Francisco the type of kicker they adore. Unlike Moody, Pineiro doesn’t have a rocket as a leg. Instead, he has pinpoint accuracy, which is a trait Moody wasn’t able to develop. Pineiro could quickly draw comparisons to Robbie Gould, who became Mr. Reliable for the 49ers from 2017 to 2022. Similar to Pineiro, Gould never had a powerful leg, but he was capable of hitting kicks at the most crucial times. When talking about kicking accuracy, Pineiro’s name comes up in the all-time list. His 88.1% accuracy is the third-best out of all kickers in NFL history, in addition to his 92.1% accuracy on extra points in five seasons. If he can continue this production as his volume increases, San Francisco secured a blessing at the position, not just for this season but possibly for the long term.