Jake Moody‘s three missed field goals nearly let the Tampa Bay Buccaneers back into the game before he finally nailed his last attempt, which ultimately secured the 49ers’ victory. Yet, head coach Kyle Shanahan has shown no indication of moving on from Moody, who was picked in the third round-a move that raised eyebrows given the rarity of drafting kickers so early.

While the departure of longtime kicker Robbie Gould left a gap to fill, many argued that investing a high draft pick in a kicker was risky, especially when there were other needs to address.

Shanahan places confidence in Moody

Shanahan isn’t known for acknowledging mistakes, at least not publicly. He notably held onto Trey Lance until Brock Purdy‘s rise made Lance’s role obsolete, but with Moody, the coach appears intent on doubling down rather than admitting the draft decision might not have been wise.

The 49ers’ special teams have been a weak spot this season, with Moody‘s misses contributing to struggles in critical moments.

While fans might hope the team would bring in a more consistent kicker such as Anders Carlson, it seems unlikely the 49ers will change course now. Shanahan‘s confidence in Moody suggests they’ll stick with him, hoping he finds his rhythm before his misses become too costly.

“I thought it wasn’t the easiest place to kick in,” Shanahan said on Monday. “The wind was weird, especially the direction that he missed the stuff. It was different. But it was a few big kicks and came back and hit his first game winner on a walk off. So, thought he finished it well and we’ll move on to next week with it.”