San Francisco 49ers Sign Former Commanders Kicker After Pinero Hamstring Injury

The San Francisco 49ers have moved to address growing concerns in their kicking game, signing veteran Matt Gay to the practice squad. The move comes after starting kicker Eddy Piñeiro suffered a hamstring injury during the team’s Week 11 victory over the Arizona Cardinals.

San Francisco 49ers Kicker Injury

Piñeiro sustained a Grade 1 hamstring strain in the third quarter, forcing the 49ers to forgo a late-game extra point attempt and instead go for a two-point conversion. Coach Kyle Shanahan has since described Piñeiro’s status as “week-to-week,” prompting the team to bring in an experienced leg for their upcoming key matchup against the Carolina Panthers.

Gay Brings Experience, Recent Struggles

Matt Gay joins the 49ers shortly after being released by the Washington Commanders. His departure from Washington followed a difficult Week 11 performance in which he missed two crucial long-distance field goals—from 51 and 56 yards—in an overtime loss to the Miami Dolphins. This season, Gay has been perfect on extra points but has struggled with accuracy on field goals, making 13 of 19 attempts. All six of his misses have come from beyond 50 yards.

Despite his recent issues with long-range kicks, Gay has proven to be highly reliable from closer distances. Over his seven-year career with the Commanders, Indianapolis Colts, Los Angeles Rams, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, he boasts an impressive 92.4% success rate on field goals from inside 50 yards. His accuracy from short and medium range provides a degree of security for a 49ers team that cannot afford mistakes in a tight NFC playoff race.

Piñeiro’s Inconsistent Season Opened the Door

While Piñeiro has been flawless on field goals this season, going 22-for-22 and a perfect 6-for-6 from 50-plus yards, his performance on extra points has been a significant issue. He has missed four PATs this season, including two in the game against the Cardinals, giving him the worst extra-point percentage among all qualifying kickers in the league.

With Piñeiro sidelined, the kicking duties will likely fall to Gay for the foreseeable future. To make room for Gay on the practice squad, the 49ers released wide receiver Russell Gage. The team hopes Gay’s veteran presence and historical accuracy from inside 50 yards can provide the stability needed on special teams as they navigate a critical stretch of their season.