49ers Cut Jake Moody After Costly Week 1 Mistakes
San Francisco parts ways with struggling kicker after missed field goals spark team frustration.
San Francisco, September 9 EST: The Jake Moody experiment is over in San Francisco, and it ended the only way it could. The 49ers put their faith, and a rare third-round draft pick, in a kicker who was supposed to deliver in the clutch. Instead, he crumbled under the lights.
A Gamble That Went Bust
When the Niners stunned the draft world by taking Moody in the third round of the 2023 draft, the football world split. Some believed they had found the next Justin Tucker, others wondered why a championship-ready roster was investing that kind of capital on a kicker.
Now the verdict is clear. They gambled and they lost.
Moody’s Week 1 meltdown, a 27-yard chip shot pushed wide and a 36-yarder swatted back at the line, was not just about the scoreboard. It was about trust. That fragile bond between kicker and locker room snapped. On the sideline, players tossed helmets, veterans shouted, and frustration boiled into the open.
The Locker Room Boils Over
This was more than one bad afternoon. It was months of unease breaking through. As SFGATE reported, teammates who had stood by Moody finally reached the breaking point. They fight through injuries and play through pain, only to watch a kick wobble into nothing. That wears down belief.
Not everyone turned their back. Nick Bosa stayed loyal, telling reporters that mistakes happen and loyalty matters. But even loyalty runs out when the mistakes pile up. Body language on the sideline said it all. The patience was gone.
The Brutal Reality of the Kicking Game
Kickers live in a cruel corner of the sport. Nobody remembers you until you fail, and in San Francisco’s current championship window, failure is unforgivable. This is a roster built to win now with Christian McCaffrey, Deebo Samuel, Fred Warner, and a defense that punishes opponents. They cannot afford to have games decided by a shaky right leg.
Moody, decorated in college and billed as reliable, never gave fans or teammates the confidence that he could deliver when the season turned heavy. Every attempt felt like a coin flip. And coin flips do not win Super Bowls.
What Happens Now
The 49ers will look to the veteran market for answers. Names like Mason Crosby and former Niner Robbie Gould are already in the conversation. Gould, who gave the franchise years of stability, looms as the logical safety net.
Moody, just 24, still has the leg to kick in this league. Some team will roll the dice on his upside. But he will carry with him the stigma of being the high pick that San Francisco could not fix.
The Bottom Line
This was never just about missed kicks. It was about the 49ers protecting their shot at a Super Bowl. In the NFL, the window to win is narrow. San Francisco cannot risk losing close games because their kicker could not deliver.
Jake Moody had the stage, and the 49ers gave him every chance. When the moment demanded calm, he faltered. In this game, that is all it takes to lose your job.
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A former college-level cricketer and lifelong sports enthusiast, Arun Upadhayay brings the heart of an athlete to the sharp eye of a journalist. With firsthand experience in competitive sports and a deep understanding of team dynamics, Arun covers everything from grassroots tournaments to high-stakes international showdowns. His reporting blends field-level grit with analytical precision, making him a trusted voice for sports fans across New Jersey and beyond.
- Arun Upadhayay
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- Arun Upadhayay
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