Rookie kicker Jake Moody’s preseason debut with the 49ers couldn’t have gone much worse. He got to attempt a pair of field goals and missed both, but head coach Kyle Shanahan isn’t hitting the panic button on the first-year kicker just yet.
Moody did handle kickoffs and did a fine job there. He also connected on his lone extra point try. As for the missed field goals, Shanahan said
“I mean, it’s unfortunate because I know the pressure on him when everyone’s looking,” Shanahan said. “I know he missed those two today, but he’s been great in practice. He’s hit them all. I was just excited to attempt a long one, which was fun until it was missed. But he’s been great. He handles himself well, so no issues here with me.”
Neither of Moody’s misses were particularly close with a 40-yard trying sailing wide left, then a 58-yard try flying wide right.
This was Moody’s first time kicking in an NFL game though and he’s proven in practice he can hit from as deep as 60 yards out. In-game misses in the preseason opener would surely be a bigger problem if Moody wasn’t good in training camp. For now though he’s still getting his sea legs under him in the NFL and he still has the full backing of his head coach.
If the misses continue into the second and third preseason games though, Shanahan’s support could waver.
