USA Today via Reuters
Oct 15, 2023; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; San Francisco 49ers place kicker Jake Moody (4) unbuckles his helmet after missing a field goal against the Cleveland Browns with six seconds left on the game clock during the fourth quarter at Cleveland Browns Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Scott Galvin-USA TODAY Sports
USA Today via Reuters
Oct 15, 2023; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; San Francisco 49ers place kicker Jake Moody (4) unbuckles his helmet after missing a field goal against the Cleveland Browns with six seconds left on the game clock during the fourth quarter at Cleveland Browns Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Scott Galvin-USA TODAY Sports
Being a Niners fan is tough. Not only did they face a very shocking loss on Sunday night, but now they have to deal with the after-effects, that is, the comments and predictions from fans around the world. Recently, the 49ers realm was stirred by another controversy surrounding the Niners rookie kicker, Jake Moody. But Matt Maiochio came to the 49ers’ rescue.
Shanahan drafted Moody in the 2023 third-round NFL draft. Moody came into the limelight as he missed a very important goal in the game, one that proved to be too costly to the then-untainted Niners. Following this, rumors, as per their nature, began to spread like wildfire about the rookie kicker being replaced.
Jake Moody to be replaced: Overreaction or not?
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After his big 41-yard miss at the Browns stadium, Jake Moody was rumored to be replaced by former 49ers kicker Robbie Gould. Now, after one bad performance by the star player of the previous five games, fans are jumping to conclusions, believing that the team needs an experienced player like Gould back instead of a rookie. “Overreaction: Yes. The 49ers hope Jake Moody has plenty of chances to redeem himself over a long period of time with the 49ers. Moody has more range than Gould, and he is able to consistently put the ball in the in-zone and kickoffs more than Gould could,” argued the analyst.
Should the Niners sign Robbie Gould after Jake Moody missed multiple field goals in Cleveland??@maioccoNBCS explains why he believes that's an overreaction
(➡️ @Toyota_Norcal) pic.twitter.com/bK8tHMwTRG
— 49ers on NBCS (@NBCS49ers) October 17, 2023
He further talked about future plans for Gould as a free agent, that he “still intends to be kicking somewhere this season, but his reunion with 49ers this season seems highly unlikely.” Gould, who is currently a free agent, signed with the 49ers back in 2017, and played six seasons with the team as a kicker. After he left the 49ers previous season, the kicker is still finding opportunities for him in the league.
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Why choosing Moody was the right thing for the 49ers?
As Maiochio correctly pointed out, Moody has plenty of chances to redeem himself. Unless he performs as badly as against the Browns in the next few games, he is out of trouble. The team had rated him as the best kicker in the 2023 NFL draft, and they were pretty accurate with their prediction.
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Moody has performed exceptionally well in the first five games of the regular season, being a rookie. The 23-year-old also made a franchise record of having the longest successful kick by a rookie kicker of 57 yards. Sunday’s game was just one bad game for the Niners, as per Maiochio. Bottom line, Shanahan and Co. made a good decision by selecting Moody, one that will pay off soon enough.
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