Injury Woes Continue for 49ers Kicker Jake Moody
An already challenging summer just became even more problematic for San Francisco 49ers rookie kicker Jake Moody. The young player sustained a right quadriceps strain during practice this week, ruling him out of the team’s preseason game against the Los Angeles Chargers on Friday night.
In Moody’s absence, veteran kicker Zane Gonzalez will take over the kicking duties for the preseason finale at Levi’s Stadium. Although the injury is currently listed as day-to-day, Moody’s availability for the 49ers’ regular-season opener against the Pittsburgh Steelers on September 10 remains uncertain.
Moody has faced considerable scrutiny since being chosen by the 49ers in the third round of the draft to replace veteran Robbie Gould, known for being the franchise’s most accurate kicker. Unfortunately, Moody’s performance in the first two preseason games has been underwhelming. He has made only three of five field-goal attempts and missed one of his two extra points.
In their recent victory over the Denver Broncos, Moody managed to secure the game-winning kick on the final play, but his 32-yard attempt barely slid inside the right upright. Reflecting on his performance, Moody openly admitted that his kicks have not been as clean as he would like, attributing it to a learning curve.
As Moody continues his journey to establish himself as the 49ers’ starting kicker, he remains determined to improve, aiming to translate his positive performances during practices to high-pressure game situations.