There have been a ton of injuries to key players throughout the first five weeks of the 2024 NFL season, which has been tough on fantasy managers.
Now, even kickers are getting hurt. San Francisco 49ers kicker Jake Moody exited Sunday’s 24-23 loss to the Arizona Cardinals. What happened to Moody, and how long will he be sidelined? Let’s break down the latest updates on his status.
What’s The Latest on Moody’s Injury?
With roughly five minutes left in Sunday’s game, Moody tried to make a tackle on a kickoff, but his right ankle got trapped underneath his body. He immediately grabbed his lower leg, and then he was carted off the sideline and into the 49ers’ locker room.
After the game, head coach Kyle Shanahan confirmed that Moody suffered a high-ankle sprain.
#49ers Jake Moody injuries his kicking leg on this tackle attempt.pic.twitter.com/qAPvOia2jv
— Pro Football Network (@PFN365)
Mitch Wishnowsky, the Niners’ punter, replaced Moody as San Francisco’s kicker, nailing a 26-yard field goal at the end of the first half. Fullback Kyle Juszczyk, considered an emergency kicking option, took over for Wishnowsky as the 49ers’ holder on the field goal attempt.
It’s unclear how long Moody will be sidelined, but Shanahan said they’ll likely be without him for at least the next few games.
“I’m sure it’ll have to be for a few weeks,” Shanahan said. “I’m not sure (about the severity), but I know they told me a high ankle, and that’s never soon.”
On Tuesday, the 49ers worked out several veteran kickers, including Matthew Wright, Randy Bullock, Riley Patterson, Anders Carlson, and Matt Coghlin.
San Francisco ultimately signed Wright to a one-year deal. Wright was on the 49ers’ offseason roster in 2023, so they are familiar with the 28-year-old, who has previously kicked for the Pittsburgh Steelers, Jacksonville Jaguars, Kansas City Chiefs, and Carolina Panthers.
Moody was a third-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. Entering Week 5, he had hit 11 of 12 field-goal attempts, with his only miss being a 55-yard try near the end of the 49ers’ Week 3 loss to the Los Angeles Rams. Moody made both of his field-goal attempts in Week 5 before departing.
His absence was felt late in the third quarter against Arizona when the 49ers decided not to attempt a 45-yard field goal on 4th-and-23 while leading 23-13. San Francisco eventually lost to Arizona by one point, 24-23.
