The San Francisco 49ers faced several setbacks following their tough Week 5 loss to the Arizona Cardinals. One major concern was kicker Jake Moody, who limped off the field after attempting a risky tackle during a kickoff return. He was later carted to the locker room, and it was revealed he suffered a high-ankle sprain that will keep him out for an extended period.
In light of this, head coach Kyle Shanahan announced that the team would evaluate several kickers the following Monday. After these workouts, the 49ers have signed a replacement: kicker Matthew Wright, who recently celebrated a Super Bowl victory.
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According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, the 49ers are bringing in veteran kicker Matthew Wright to fill the void left by Moody. Wright won a kicking competition and is now set to play against Seattle on Thursday night.
At 28, Wright has had a varied career since entering the NFL as an undrafted free agent with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2019. He played two games for the Kansas City Chiefs in 2022, where he set a franchise record for the longest field goal while substituting for the injured Harrison Butker. Although he wasn’t part of the Chiefs during the Super Bowl win over the Eagles, he still earned a championship ring.
Wright also had a brief stint on the 49ers’ practice squad in September of last year. Throughout his career, he has successfully converted 40 of 47 field-goal attempts and 35 of 37 extra points.
