It’s finally over. The Jake Moody era in San Francisco has mercifully come to a close. After a Week 1 performance that had 49ers fans collectively holding their breath every time the special teams unit took the field, the team has waived Kicker Jake Moody. You could almost hear the collective sigh of relief echoing from the Bay Area.
Moody’s Sunday was, to put it mildly, a disaster. He shanked a 27-yard gimme and then had a 36-yard attempt swatted down like a fly. Going 1-for-3 on a day the Niners barely squeaked by the Seahawks was the final straw. It was the kind of performance that makes a coach start nervously eyeing the waiver wire. Will the 49ers fare better with a new kicker?
The Moody Blues: A Tale Of Missed Opportunities
Let’s be honest, this wasn’t a one-off. Moody, the guy the Niners inexplicably spent a third-round pick on, has been a roller coaster of inconsistency. For every booming kick that reminded you of his Michigan glory days, there were two that sailed wide right, leaving fans and analysts scratching their heads. Drafted for his powerful leg, Moody’s performance from beyond 40 yards was particularly grim, converting only 16 of 29 attempts in his career. That’s not just bad; it’s a liability.
What’s Next For the 49ers’ Kicking Game?
The timing is almost comical. The 49ers brought in veteran Greg Zuerlein this offseason, presumably to light a fire under Moody. But they cut him before the preseason, a move that now looks bafflingly optimistic. Now, after Moody nearly single-handedly cost them the season opener, the front office is scrambling for a solution.
So, who’s next? Will they give Greg Joseph (not Zuerlein, as some reports mistakenly noted) a call? Scour the list of unemployed kickers? At this point, they might as well hold open tryouts. For Moody, he joins the unfortunate club of high-draft-pick kickers who couldn’t cut it, a list famously headlined by Roberto Aguayo. He’ll go down as another significant draft blunder from that 2023 class, right next to Tight End Cameron Latu. The 49ers had a problem, and they finally decided to change the channel.
