The 49ers are 1-0 and boast one of the NFL's weakest schedules, but it's been hard for San Francisco to avoid negative headlines in the early days of the season.
After George Kittle and Jauan Jennings both exited a Week 1 win over the Seahawks with injuries, two seperate injuries to QB Brock Purdy could throw the offense into disarray in Week 2. With points potentially at a premium, a special teams reinforcement appears to be on the way.
The 49ers waived kicker Jake Moody on Tuesday, cutting ties with the former third-round pick two days after he came under fire from fans even in a victory.
Here's what you need to know about the 49ers' decision to release Moody.
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Why was Jake Moody released?
It would have been tough for the 49ers to justify moving forward with Moody after a 1-for-3 performance on field goal attempts in Week 1. He missed from 27 yards and 36 yards, with the latter attempt blocked by Seattle.
Had Moody's struggles been uncharacteristic, the 49ers might be standing by their kicker — but he converted just 70.6 percent of his field goal attempts in 2024, including five misses from inside 50 yards.
Kyle Shanahan initially defended Moody's roster spot after Sunday's game, telling reporters there was "no question" about the 25-year-old's job security. When asked to follow up, though, Shanahan gave himself an out.
"Right now I have no question," Shanahan said. "Trying to finish today and go get on the plane and evaluate stuff and go back at it."
Reporter:
— Coach Yac 🗣 (@Coach_Yac) September 7, 2025
“Kyle, when you say there’s no question about Jake Moody’s job security, why is that?”
Kyle Shanahan:
“It’s just the way you guys ask it. Right now I have no question. Trying to finish today and go get on the plane and evaluate stuff and go back at it.” pic.twitter.com/cHdMbwISXY
Less than 48 hours later, the 49ers decided to move on. The news came against the backdrop of Kittle's placement on injured reserve, keeping him out at least four weeks, and uncertainty surrounding Purdy's status for Week 2. If Mac Jones is under center and points are harder to come by, kicking suddenly becomes even more critical.
Whether the injuries had an impact on the team's decision is unknown, but it would have been hard for the 49ers to enter Week 2 with much confidence in Moody to make three or four field goals.
MORE: Latest updates on George Kittle's hamstring injury
When was Jake Moody drafted?
The 49ers drafted Moody with the No. 99 overall pick in 2023, making him one of the highest-drafted kickers in recent memory.
Teams don't often spend that kind of draft capital on kickers, but the 49ers were in the unique position of having two compensatory third-round picks in addition to their own and didn't have as many glaring roster needs as most teams.
The right kicker can make a major difference — just look at the long-term impacts Chris Boswell and Harrison Butker have had with their teams — but history proves that identifying which kickers can be reliable long-term is extremely difficult.
MORE: Inside Brock Purdy's family tree
Where did Jake Moody go to college?
Moody spent five seasons at Michigan before being drafted in 2023. College kickers can be volatile, but he flashed an impressive leg in the Big Ten, finishing 23-of-25 on field goal attempts in 2021 and 29-of-35 in 2022. Moody never missed an extra point in 148 attempts at Michigan.
MORE: NFL Week 1 overreactions
Who is the 49ers kicker?
The 49ers don't currently have another kicker on their roster after Moody's release.
San Francisco brought in Greg Joseph to compete with Moody during training camp, but Moody won the job. It's unclear whether the 49ers will turn back to Joseph for Week 2 or bring in a handful of free agent kickers to try out for the role.