For two-plus years, kicker Jake Moody took the special teams for the San Francisco 49ers on a rollercoaster ride. After a strong rookie season and appearing in a Super Bowl in his first NFL campaign, Moody's performance dropped significantly in 2024.
After what head coach Kyle Shanahan saw in Week 1 this season, the Niners decided to move on from their 2023 third-round NFL Draft choice out of Michigan.
In his place, San Francisco enlisted the services of a veteran placekicker with a more consistent track record, Eddy Pineiro.
Pineiro continues to show why the 49ers made the right choice to cut Moody. On Sunday in Week 6, he was one of the few players contributing to the scoreboard against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Eddy Pineiro continues to be dependable for 49ers
Aside from missing a single point-after attempt in Week 2, his debut with San Francisco, the 30-year-old specialist has otherwise been perfect. Pineiro has made all 15 of his field-goal attempts, including a season-high of 59 yards in the Week 5 Thursday night game on the road against in-state rivals, the Los Angeles Rams.
Pineiro has been good for at least seven points every game this season so far with the 49ers. In that game, he was responsible for twice that amount with 14 points. On four field goals and two extra points, the eight-year veteran came through once again for San Francisco.
Despite losing in Week 6 against the Bucs, Pineiro pulled his weight. He made four more field goals, with two from 50-plus yards.
He accounted for 13 of San Francisco's 19 points in the team's second loss of the season.
Pineiro has been so good for the 49ers that he ranks in the top five in scoring among placekickers even though he didn't play in Week 1. His 52 points and 100-percent field-goal tally are among the best in the NFL.
Thanks to Pineiro, and not Moody, San Francisco is equipped to make it back to the playoffs this year after missing them in 2024.