The San Francisco 49ers finally decided to cut bait on embattled kicker Jake Moody, waiving him after two-plus seasons in the Bay Area and in the immediate wake of a disastrous Week 1 showing against the Seattle Seahawks in which he went 1-of-3 on field-goal tries, including a brutal chip-shot of a miss from 27 yards out.
At least Moody didn't cost the Niners that game. But, had head coach Kyle Shanahan continued to invest blind faith in his embattled specialist, it almost seems guaranteed Moody would have forced a couple of San Francisco losses later this season.
Hopefully, that's a lesson Shanahan learned and will continue keeping to heart.
Grumblings about Moody have been going on for some time, including a recent callout from former 49ers legend and NFL cornerback, Richard Sherman, who didn't hesitate to call the Niners out about Moody's ongoing retention up until Tuesday's transaction:
“Your head coach should never go into a game thinking he has to go for it on 4th down because he doesn’t trust his kicker.”
Richard Sherman on Jake Moody’s struggles in San Francisco. Is it time for the 49ers to move on? 🧐
🎥 Full episode: https://t.co/4a0pwHn5gd pic.twitter.com/mQhnhHf5xt
— Richard Sherman Podcast (@RShermanPodcast) September 8, 2025
That's not the only high-profile voice who wholly turned on Moody. Even well-respected 49ers insider Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area said San Francisco had no other choice but to give its Round 3 investment from the 2023 NFL Draft the boot.
Considering Moody wasn't just divisive among the fanbase (it'd be hard to find anyone in his corner), it's a safe assumption to point out social media's reaction to Tuesday's waiving was, well... provocative.
Social media reacts to 49ers cutting Jake Moody
Needless to say, there aren't a lot of Moody well-wishers in light of him being cut.
But there are quite a few social media gems and sentiments that perfectly sum up how fans and pundits felt about the move.
Jake Moody while everyone is distracted by the Christian McCaffrey discussion: pic.twitter.com/NwHThr3I2Y
— East Bay Chris (@EastBayChris) September 7, 2025
The #49ers finally cut K Jake Moody pic.twitter.com/vEUlikERMv
— 49ers & NFL News 24/7 (@49ersSportsTalk) September 9, 2025
I stayed off X for 16 hours in protest until Jake Moody was off the 49ers.
The prayers of Faithful everywhere have been answered.
Wishing him well as he embarks on a new career in the real world. pic.twitter.com/2aDcEIz355
— Crant (@CrantGohn) September 9, 2025
I genuinely can’t express how happy I am that Jake Moody is no longer a 49er
— trev (@BayAreaTrev) September 9, 2025
•Sunday: Jumpball Jake game-winner in Seattle
•Monday: sign Kendrick Bourne
•Tuesday: release Jake Moody pic.twitter.com/X2VYVba9w7
— Nick Newman (@NinerNick_22) September 9, 2025
The one positive thing I will say about Jake Moody, if the 49ers season does go south and they need a guy that’ll fully commit to tanking, you gotta be open to bringing him back on the roster.
— East Bay Chris (@EastBayChris) September 9, 2025
May people celebrate your accomplishments and achievements as much as 49ers fans are celebrating Jake Moody being waived by the 49ers.
— Ryan G Hensley (@ryanghensley) September 9, 2025
Now, in all fairness, Moody probably has more than enough going through his mind right now and knows he can't get out of the Bay Area fast enough after being dismissed.
And it's nothing personal either. If anything, the Niners deserve blame for trying to make things work when it was abundantly clear it never would.
But, for someone who simply wasn't executing anywhere near the level expected, Moody on the outs is arguably the best news San Francisco fans have had on the young season.