The life of a kicker can be a rollercoaster in the NFL. One minute, you're being cast aside, and the next, you are presented with another massive opportunity when all hope was fading.
That proved to be the case for Matt Gay, who was cut by the Washington Commanders after another dismal outing in Week 11 against the Miami Dolphins.
Gay joined the Commanders this offseason, shortly after he was released by the Indianapolis Colts. He received the most guaranteed money for a kicker on a one-year deal in NFL history, but general manager Adam Peters' big wager didn't go according to plan.
Former Commanders kicker Matt Gay found new employment almost instantly
The Pro Bowler was erratic, to put it mildly. Gay made just 68.4 percent of his field goals, and most of his misses went wide right. He also doesn't boast the leg strength to be a factor from long distances, which is an absolute necessity in the modern-day NFL.
His two missed field goals against the Dolphins in Madrid were the final straw. The Commanders moved swiftly to replace Gay, signing Jake Martin off the Chicago Bears' practice squad. The veteran was facing an uncertain future. But as it turned out, the Super Bowl winner wasn't out of work for long.
In a surprising twist, Gay was signed to the San Francisco 49ers practice squad. They'd worked out five kickers after Eddy Pineiro's unfortunate injury, but the chance to pick up someone with the former Utah standout's experience was too tempting to ignore.
This is what's called falling up. The Niners are right in the playoff mix within an ultra-competitive NFC West. They currently hold the seventh seed, and Gay's first outing will be on the prime-time stage against the in-form Carolina Panthers on Monday Night Football.
The margin for error is slim for Gay. Kickers don't have to learn the scheme or develop relationships with anyone more than the place holder and long-snapper. What they need to do is make their kicks in high-pressure situations, and he didn't do that consistently enough in Washington.
Peters will be hoping Moody has better luck. He kicked a game-winning field goal against the Commanders earlier this season. Still, his previous altercations with wide receiver Deebo Samuel Sr. during their time together in San Francisco hopefully won't boil over in a different environment.
As for Gay? This is the last-chance saloon in no uncertain terms. Either he gets it together with the Niners, or the league will overlook him entirely.
It's that simple.