Jake Moody Nails 57-Yard Game-Winning Field Goal—49ers Rookie Kicker Stuns Fans and Critics

San Francisco — Jake Moody’s right leg is making noise again, and this time the sound is pure redemption. With one second left on the Allegiant Stadium clock, the San Francisco 49ers’ third-year kicker drilled a career-long 59-yard field goal that lifted the Niners to a 22-19 preseason victory over the Las Vegas Raiders. The booming kick, Moody’s fifth make of the night, capped a whirlwind evening that showcased both his offseason overhaul and the team’s renewed faith in the former third-round pick. A new process, a new result After an uneven 2024 campaign that saw his field-goal percentage dip to 70.6 percent, Moody enlisted a sports-performance coach who hammered home “process over outcome.” That mantra echoed in the postgame press room as the 25-year-old explained how shortened mental queues—“practice swing, spot, swing through”—replaced negative self-talk. “I can’t change the last kick; I can only own the next one,” Moody said, crediting thousands of summer reps for the muscle memory that powered Saturday’s dagger. Early hiccups, late heroics The night didn’t begin like a billboard moment. Moody was perfect from 30 yards, then hooked a 53-yard attempt wide left and barely squeaked in a 26-yarder off the upright. Instead of spiraling, he reset—nailing kicks from 50, 44 and finally 59 yards as teammates mobbed him at midfield. Special-teams coordinator Brian Schneider noted afterward that Moody’s revamped follow-through keeps the ball on line longer. “You can see it in his plant foot; he’s finishing toward the target instead of falling away,” Schneider said. Why the 59-yard bomb matters • Confidence spike: Moody’s previous long in an NFL game was 57 yards. Cracking 59 expands head coach Kyle Shanahan’s late-game play-calling range. • Roster implications: Veteran tryout kickers visited Santa Clara this spring, but Saturday’s performance all but shuts the door on external competition. • Locker-room lift: Players from Fred Warner to Brock Purdy sprinted the length of the field to celebrate, a visible sign that Moody’s redemption arc resonates inside the building. Social surge fuels brand value Within an hour, clips of the kick topped one million combined views across X (formerly Twitter), Instagram Reels and TikTok, while “Jake Moody 59” trended in sports tabs nationwide. Merchandise partner Fanatics reported a 280 percent spike in Moody jerseys compared with last week’s sales baseline. What’s next The 49ers travel to Los Angeles for joint practices with the Chargers, where special-teams periods will be scripted to give Moody additional long-range reps. If preseason form holds, expect Shanahan to test him beyond 60 yards before Week 1. Bottom line Jake Moody’s 59-yard game-winner wasn’t just three points in August—it was a loud declaration that the 49ers’ investment is back on track. If his process-first mindset continues translating into bombs like Saturday night’s, San Francisco might finally have the long-term kicking answer it drafted for in 2023.