Jake Moody Finds a New Home After San Francisco 49ers Release

Jake Moody wasn’t supposed to be just another casualty of the NFL’s ruthless nature. This kid came into the league with serious talent – the kind that made Kyle Shanahan and the 49ers brass confident enough to spend a third-round pick on him. And for a while, it looked like genius-level thinking.

His rookie season in 2023? Pretty solid with an 84% field goal percentage. Not Hall of Fame numbers, but respectable enough to make you think the Niners had found their long-term answer at kicker. Then 2024 happened, and everything went sideways faster than a Patriots playoff run. What led to his downfall?

The Mental Game That Broke Moody

Here’s where things get really interesting from a human perspective. Shanahan didn’t just cut Moody because of his leg – he cut him because his head wasn’t right. “When it gets to that spot, you can see it affecting him from a mental game,” Shanahan said, referencing how the previous season ended and the microscope Moody found himself under.

That’s the brutal reality of being an NFL kicker. You can have all the physical talent in the world, but if your mental game cracks, you’re done. Moody’s 2024 season tells the whole story: he missed 10 field goal attempts, with nine of those coming after returning from a high-ankle sprain. The Week 1 disaster against Seattle in 2025,  missing two field goals, was probably the final nail in the coffin.

Chicago Bears: Second Chances and Practice Squad Reality

Now Moody finds himself on the Chicago Bears’ practice squad, essentially serving as insurance for Cairo Santos. It’s not exactly where you want to be as a former third-round pick, but hey, at least someone still believes in the talent.

The crazy part? Shanahan still thinks Moody has “a chance to have a hell of a future.” That’s not coach-speak – that’s genuine belief in raw ability. But ability without mental toughness is like having a Ferrari with sugar in the gas tank.

What This Means For Moody’s Future

The NFL is littered with talented players who couldn’t handle the psychological pressure. Kickers, in particular, face unique mental challenges – you’re only as good as your last kick, and everyone remembers your misses more than your makes.

For Moody, this Bears opportunity represents more than just a practice squad spot. It’s rehabilitation time. Away from the 49ers’ championship expectations and media scrutiny, maybe he can rebuild that confidence that made him a third-round selection.