Two seasons ago, a rookie kicker was tasked with taking over the starting job for the San Francisco 49ers. With championship aspirations and roster constructed with a win-now mindset, the margin of error was slim.
In 2023, Jake Moody played in all 17 games. He went 21-of-25 kicking field goals. Of the four he missed, all of them were from beyond 30 yards.
Moody was reliable and sharp in his first season in the NFL. With a a career-long 57-yard field goal, the former Michigan Wolverine showed he is an asset to a team otherwise comprised of several established veterans.
Last season, though, Moody was not as sharp as his rookie campaign. Missing three games for the Niners because of a high-ankle sprain, he missed 10 field goals in 2024 and put up a statistically worse conversion percentage than arguably the biggest kicker bust in recent NFL history.
Going forward, Moody is still the guy the coaching staff will have to trust to keep San Francisco's season upright.
How did 49ers try to help their kicking case?
The 49ers signed veteran kicker Greg Joseph earlier this offseason to provide some competition for Moody. The journeyman veteran had three straight seasons in which he scored over 100 points off of his foot.
His career average in kicking field goals is over 80 percent, which is better than Moody's current number (76.3 percent).
Unfortunately for Joseph, he is no longer with the Niners as he was cut the first week of August, although head coach Kyle Shanahan subsequently revealed his team could call up any kicker again if Moody's struggles continue.
How did Jake Moody help his case with 49ers?
In the 30-9 preseason Week 1 loss against the Denver Broncos, San Francisco's kicker only had the opportunity one time to score, making an extra point following running back Patrick Taylor, Jr.'s rushing touchdown.
A week later against the Las Vegas Raiders, Moody had more chances to prove his worth, and the 49ers fared much better in their second preseason game thanks to their kicker.
Going 5-of-6, Moody had the game-winning field goal to propel his team to victory despite the earlier miss. A 59-yard field goal aided in beating a team the Niners had to settle for a tie against in last year's preseason meeting. The 49ers put up points in every quarter in Vegas, and interestingly enough, Moody scored all nine of their points in the the decisive fourth quarter.
The 49ers' put up points in every quarter on Saturday. Moody scored all nine of San Francisco's points in the the decisive fourth quarter.
For now, it looks like the Niners made the right decision in cutting Joseph and sticking with Moody. Although, they may not have had much of a choice, given the current health of their roster in other positions.
Regardless, if Moody can perform like this all 17 weeks of the 2025 season, San Francisco could return to the playoffs, the NFC Championship and even the Super Bowl.
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