PITTSBURGH — Jake Moody kicked the monkey off his back with strong NFL debut in the 49ers' 30-7 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday at Acrisure Stadium.
After a tough preseason and a quad strain that sidelined Moody during the second half of training camp, the rookie kicker showed why the 49ers moved up in the 2023 NFL Draft to select him No. 99 overall.
Moody successfully booted three field goals (from 41, 32 and 40 yards) and three extra points in the rout of the Steelers, and appeared more confident and calm than he had during his previous outings.
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“First game is always the hardest,” Moody said Sunday. “Got to break the seal, get the season started off on a good note, and that’s what we did as an entire unit. That was a good game. We’ve been firing on all cylinders.”
There was a little apprehension about Moody being ready for Week 1 after injuring his quad during practice and sitting out the 49ers' final preseason contest. But the kicker was given full clearance to play just a few days before the team flew to Pittsburgh.
“I’ve been rehabbing my butt off ever since my quad,” Moody said. “Felt great. Felt like a normal game. Everyone was juiced up and that’s a little different than a preseason game. That felt cool to play in my first NFL game.”
Moody gave credit to long snapper Taybor Pepper and punter/holder Mitch Wishnowsky for his successful first outing. The two veterans have been a large part of why the rookie remained calm throughout the opener.
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Moody’s NFL debut wasn’t without a few hiccups, however. At the end of the 49ers' first drive, the extra-point unit went out on to the field and got into position but subsequently was called for a delay of game penalty.
Moody explained the gaffe that didn’t, and won’t, happen again.
“That’s something obviously first time playing,” Moody said. “It seemed like everyone was standing up. I thought maybe they were reviewing something for some reason, and I was just kind of waiting there. It’s something that we talked about. They are waiting for me to start going. I was waiting for them, while they were waiting for me. It happens.”
Luckily for the Michigan product, he made the 41-yard field goal and never looked back. Moody’s calmness, in large part, was due to his pregame ritual of arriving to the stadium early, walking the field and visualizing his kicks.
“That’s something I’ve always done since college,” Moody said. “Just like a visualization thing. I found that it works for me just to pick out my target lines. Walk around random spots on the field, pick my targets so when I end up in those random spots in a game, I’ve already been there once, I’ve already seen the background and envisioned the kick going through.”
The 49ers will rely on Moody to make tough kicks throughout the 2023 season, and it appears they are off to a good start.
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