Coming out of their Week 5 bye, the Chicago Bears got to travel to the East Coast to face the Washington Commanders in a rematch from one of the wildest games of the 2024 NFL season.
Late in the game, the Bears looked to be on the verge of losing, but thanks to a Jayden Daniels fumble and some solid plays to move down the field, the Bears got into field goal range. Their kicker, the recently released Jake Moody, was going to get a chance to win it.
Moody nailed the kick, winning the game for the Bears 25-24 in walk-off fashion. Kevin Fishbain of The Athletic shared Moody's perspective on the game-winner and the unlikely story behind his "pretty cool" game-winning field goal.
Bears' Jake Moody shares story behind his 'pretty cool' game-winning field goal
"It's a pretty cool series of events," Moody said. "A couple of days ago, I didn't even know I was playing."
Bears PK Jake Moody on getting carried off the field by his teammates: “It’s a pretty cool series of events. A couple days ago, I didn’t even know I was playing.” pic.twitter.com/qpTPTM5Zfl
— Kevin Fishbain (@kfishbain) October 14, 2025
The San Francisco 49ers drafted Moody in the 3rd round of the 2023 NFL Draft. After some struggles in San Francisco, he was released at the beginning of the 2025 season.
With his future in the NFL in jeopardy, Moody wound up signing with the Bears' practice squad in September. A month later, ahead of the Bears-Commanders Monday Night Football matchup, the Bears elevated Moody to the active roster.
Cairo Santos, the Bears' normal starter, was dealing with a thigh injury, opening the door for Moody to get his first chance after being cut by the 49ers. He took advantage and came through in the clutch for Chicago.
This was his first game on the active roster with the Bears, and he hit four field goals, including the eventual game-winner. Moody opened the scoring with a 47-yard and 48-yard field goal in the first quarter.
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After a Caleb Williams rushing touchdown, he tacked on an extra point. Later in the third quarter, Moody nailed a 41-yarder to have the Bears go up 16-10. But after the Bears gave up the lead and drove down the field, Moody's next field goal was blocked.
Washington tacked on another touchdown, and when the Bears answered with a touchdown of their own to go down 24-22, the Bears needed one more Moody kick to win the game. After driving down the field, Moody kicked the 38-yard game-winner.
It wasn't just a great win for the Bears, but it was also a great outcome for Moody, who had not been viewed as the starter until closer to game day. He's the backup kicker, and after losing his job in San Francisco, getting this chance is a huge one for Moody.
Not only did he hit four total field goals, but his game-winner came during prime time. The 25-year-old kicker had an incredible and unlikely performance. He wasn't supposed to start, and yet, he came through when it mattered most for the Bears.
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