Jake Moody did not win the 49ers' kicking competition

Because it wasn't a competition designed to be won. Moody just didn't lose it, and that's all that mattered.

Greg Joseph was released by the San Francisco 49ers Monday amidst a closely contested kicking competition. Understandably, news quickly broke naming Jake Moody the victor. But this was never a contest Joseph was able to win; rather, it was a test that only Moody could fail—and it ended before the 49ers' controversial kicker had the chance.

49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan clearly outlined his plan for the team's kicker situation in April: use competitive pressure to harden Jake Moody after a rocky 2023 postseason and disastrous 2024 season.

Shanahan was specific about his requirements: "As long as we bring in a guy who's capable of taking that job, and Jake respects him, that's what puts pressure on him." He emphasized that Moody would "have to beat him out in practice" and that "the preseason will be there" for evaluation. "When your job's on the line doing something, going against someone who's talented, you do feel that pressure. And I do believe if he can overcome that, and beat out a capable guy, that'll show us he's ready for the season."

The 49ers immediately undermined their own plan. They signed Greg Joseph, a journeyman used as disposable "competition" by Green Bay just months prior, with the Packers declaring Joseph the "winner" before promptly releasing him. It was exactly the kind of placeholder addition that signals predetermined outcomes, particularly for a team extremely concerned with cashflow. Joseph's one-year deal carried no financial guarantees, while Moody's guaranteed money remained intact.

The situation became clear during the opening special teams press conference. Special teams coordinator Brant Boyer and punter and holder Thomas Morstead praised Moody extensively while barely mentioning Joseph. Their coordinated messaging and identical verbiage were unmistakable: both called Moody "super-talented," both blamed his struggles on last year's ankle injury, and both emphasized his high draft status. Morstead even classified him as one of the "elite talents at specialist."

Over nine days of training camp practices, Joseph converted 22 of 24 field goal attempts, while Moody made 21 of 24 tries

After practice on Saturday, Boyer told reporters, "I think they're really close. I think they're both doing a great job. There's not a ton of separation. Boyer added, "It's just a matter of who's going to execute when the game comes down to it ... I really look forward to see how it's going to shake out."

But before the 49ers practiced again, Joseph lost "the competition" and his job. Shanahan's explanation: "More just the roster numbers. I would've loved to keep him longer, allowed them to play that out longer. But we had 13 guys out at practice today."

Moody hadn't lost, so Joseph was out.

NFL Teams can manage their personnel as they see fit, but the predetermined nature of this outcome is important because competitive pressure is only effective when the competition is real. Manufactured victories don't build genuine confidence—they erode it.

The San Francisco 49ers faced a straightforward decision: hold a legitimate competition to potentially unseat Moody, stick with their kicker without the charade, or simply cut ties and start fresh with someone else.

Instead, they chose a different option: manufactured competition that resulted in neither an upgrade at the position nor authentic confidence in their current kicker.

Real confidence comes from overcoming genuine challenges and proving oneself against worthy opposition. When organizational factors predetermine outcomes, the psychological benefits evaporate. Research consistently shows that competence under pressure grows only when an athlete repeatedly confronts—and survives—an authentic threat.

This entire approach constitutes a profound disservice to Moody, despite the organization's intention to build his confidence. By providing him with a triumph he knows was unearned, the 49ers have potentially weakened rather than strengthened his psychological foundation for high-pressure situations where his previous struggles have been most pronounced.

Manufactured victories cause external pressure to intensify rather than decrease. Any early-season miss will immediately revive the narrative that Moody never truly earned the role, compounding rather than relieving the scrutiny he will face.

Most fans lost patience with Moody long ago, and understandably so. His missed kicks—often in the most important, high-pressure situations—have cost the team numerous victories over his first two NFL seasons.

But at what point should fans begin to shift blame from the player to an organization that continues to undermine the confidence their young kicker desperately needs?

San Francisco's decision to release Joseph provided the team with an extra roster spot, while protecting their overdrafted investment. They also squandered their best opportunity to either upgrade the position or genuinely strengthen their current kicker's mental approach.

The 49ers could have used this summer to try to find a solution to their ongoing kicking problem. Instead, they decided it was already solved.

Now, the pressure sits squarely on Jake Moody's shoulders. When he lines up for his first meaningful kick of 2025, he'll carry the weight of knowing what he was given compared to what he earned. Any missed kick will be magnified not just by the importance of the try and the situation of the game, but by the hollow process that brought him there.