Jake Moody was the man on Monday night for the Chicago Bears.
Moody hit a game-winning, 38-yard field goal at the gun to lift the Bears to a come-from-behind 25-24 win in the rain over the Washington Commanders on Monday night. Moody made four of his five field goal attempts in his first game for the Bears.
He was moved up from the practice squad on Monday to take over for Cairo Santos.
“I mean it feels amazing,” Moody told ABC’s Lisa Salters in a post-game interview on “Monday Night Football.” “I got here not long ago,” Moody said. “Yeah, I mean, it’s always good to have a fresh start, you know, and I always believed in myself.”
Cairo Santos Is Out For Bears, Jake Moody Is In
Moody told Salters what he was thinking about before his game-winner since his previous field goal attempt had been blocked. “All I can say is that you’re only as good as your next kick,” Moody said.
Santos was ruled out of Monday night’s game on ABC.
Before the game started, Moody was out on the field getting some pre-game work in ahead of the opening kickoff. Santos has been dealing with a quadriceps injury, putting the highly-drafted kicker back in the spotlight.
Moody got an early test on Monday night and drilled a 47-yard field goal to put the Bears up 3-0 in the first quarter. He then followed that up with two more of 48 and 41 yards before getting a 48-yarder blocked.
Moody previously kicked for the San Francisco 49ers, but he makes his Bears debut. The former third-round draft pick will try to provide the Bears with a solid kicking game in Santos’ absence.
Jake Moody is out warming up before his first game as a Chicago Bear.pic.twitter.com/hy2a91GkYI
— Marquee Sports Network (@WatchMarquee) October 13, 2025
Moody started the season with the 49ers, but was released by the team after a poor performance in the team’s opener in the 2025 NFL season. He missed a 27-yarder and had a 36-yarder blocked in the 49ers’ 17-13 victory over the Seattle Seahawks.
After the opener, 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan addressed why the team cut Moody and signed Eddy Piñeiro to fill Moody’s spot.
“Just I think by where it got to, there wasn’t that much of a decision,” Shanahan said. “It’s always tough with that, especially when you have a talented guy… It’s tough with a kicker. I think Jake’s got a chance to have a hell of a future. He is that talented.
“But, when it gets to that spot where it is, we all know how last year ended, we know how everyone was looking at him, and obviously, when it gets to that point, you can see it affecting him from a mental game,” Shanahan said. “Then you don’t have much choice. You’ve got to move on, and hopefully Eddy will come in here and do the job.”
Last season, Moody made just 24-of-34 field goals (70.6%) and 32-of-33 extra points (97%). But his rookie season in the 2023 NFL season was really good. He made 21-of-25 field goals (84%) and 60-of-61 extra points (98.4%).
The 49ers drafted Moody, who played college ball at Michigan, in the third round of the 2023 NFL Draft. Santos, in his second tour with the Bears, is in his sixth season after kicking for the Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Rams, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Tennessee Titans.
According to the PFSN NFL Offense Impact metrics, the Bears have a 72.3 Offense Impact Score and grade out at a C-.
