Jake Moody hopes new kicking approach leads to improved accuracy and 49ers success

Jake Moody isn't looking for excuses—he's looking for improvement. After a tough second season with the San Francisco 49ers, the kicker is determined to bounce back in 2025 with a revamped approach that he hopes will lead to greater accuracy and consistency.

While Moody has shouldered a fair share of criticism from the 49ers' fan base, it's worth noting that the team's 11 losses in 2024 weren't solely his fault. San Francisco endured several injuries throughout the season, and Moody was no exception. A high-ankle sprain derailed his momentum, and upon returning—perhaps prematurely—he struggled to regain his rhythm.

Moody finished the year with 10 missed field goals and one missed extra point. He acknowledged the emotional toll of his struggles last season, at one point calling his slump "one of the lowest times in my career."

San Francisco recently brought in Greg Joseph on a one-year deal to compete with Moody. However, Moody is focused solely on what he can control—his technique and mindset. This offseason, the former third-round pick made a notable change while attempting field goals. He switched from a three-step approach to a two-step one.

The goal? Sacrifice a bit of power for improved accuracy.

"I felt like I've had some inconsistencies with my first jab step," Moody recently told The Athletic's Vic Tafur. "So I figured if I just get rid of that step altogether and I just take two steps instead of the three, it's less room for error."

He added, "It's been going great. Obviously, when you have been doing something since the sixth grade, it was definitely challenging at the start. I had to keep telling myself to stick with it."

As the 49ers begin organized team activities (OTAs) this week, Moody is hoping to return to the form he displayed before his injury, when he felt like he was on the rise as a reliable NFL kicker.

"I felt like I was kicking the ball the best I have in my entire life," Moody shared. "And then … it sucks, but that's how the NFL goes — you try to make a tackle and get a high ankle sprain. After that injury, I lost that rhythm I was in. And once you lose the rhythm, it's tough to get back into it."

With a clean slate under new special teams coordinator Brant Boyer, who has expressed confidence in the young kicker, Moody is feeling optimistic. His focus is now firmly on the future, and he has put his struggles behind him.

"It's in the past, and I like to have a one-kick mentality, as in the next kick," Moody said. "Right now, I've been kicking the ball really well, so I feel like I'm in a good head space."

Moody added that his goal is to improve his accuracy, as that will be key to prolonging his NFL career. The switch to a two-step process has helped sharpen that focus.

"I'm excited to see what the new two-step approach can bring me this year," he said. "Hopefully, I won't miss a single kick."