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New York Times
a day ago
- Sport
- New York Times
Jake Moody might spook 49ers fans like a horror villain, but he isn't going away
Watching a San Francisco 49ers preseason game these days is like watching a summertime slasher flick: You wince, you cover your eyes, you squirm in your seat. You just want it to be over. That was the case Saturday in Las Vegas, where an already injury-ravaged 49ers squad lost three more players, including starting right guard Dominick Puni, in quick succession, and where kicker Jake Moody had everyone's heart thumping out of their chests up until the final seconds. Advertisement Las Vegas has been an interesting spot for Moody. He missed two field goals in his preseason debut there in 2023. At the end of the same rookie season, he hit all three attempts, including from 53 and 55 yards, during the Super Bowl, but also missed an extra point in a game San Francisco lost in overtime. Then there was Saturday. He started out nice and smooth by capping the game-opening drive with a 30-yard field goal that went right down the middle. Nothing to see here, right? This is gonna be a wholesome, family-friendly Saturday afternoon show. But his next attempt, from 53 yards, wasn't even close, as it sailed wide left. His third, a chip shot from 26 yards, barely made it inside the left upright. As in, it probably wouldn't have been good from 27 yards. Suddenly, it was as if viewers — Moody's 2024 struggles still fresh in their minds — were squirming during a screening of 'I Know How You Kicked This Summer.' The 49ers need to call Greg Joseph! It's gonna be like this all year! The kid has no confidence! And, shouting to Kyle Shanahan on their television screens, Don't go in there (the regular season) with Moody as your kicker! Like any good horror flick character, however, Moody is proving hard to dispatch. The 49ers might have ended his training camp competition with Joseph — supposedly meant to put pressure on Moody — prematurely, but Saturday's game offered plenty of high drama for the third-year kicker. Midway through the fourth quarter, Moody made a well-struck attempt from 50 yards to tie the game 16-16. Then, with 37 seconds left, he tied it again with a 44-yarder that wobbled but went through. And finally, with four seconds left, he set up nearly dead center in the Raiders' midfield logo for a 59-yard game-winner. During the offseason, Moody altered his kicking approach, moving from a three-step to a two-step process designed to get the ball away more quickly. The worry was that in reducing his windup, he might not get as much distance. Advertisement That wasn't a factor on his final attempt. His kick went through a few feet inside the left upright, and it cleared the crossbar with more than a yard to spare. It was a meaningless game in mid-August, but Moody was still mobbed by teammates — Brock Purdy, Fred Warner, George Kittle and Trent Williams prominent among them — as time expired. 👏 MOODY WITH THE WALK OFF 👏 📺: KPIXNFL+ // — San Francisco 49ers (@49ers) August 16, 2025 Afterward, Kyle Shanahan sloughed off any notion he was concerned about the kicker situation heading into the season. 'I think (Moody) going 4-for-5 and hitting a 59-yarder — and a 50-yarder — I think that was a hell of a day for him,' he said. 'I think he kicked his ass off. And it gives (us) a lot of confidence.' Shanahan's more immediate concern is getting through Saturday's preseason finale against the Los Angeles Chargers with a steadily shrinking roster. He said Puni would miss 'a few weeks' with a sprained PCL that occurred when Matt Hennessy was blown backward and into the back of Puni's leg on Moody's first field goal attempt. With Week 1 in Seattle three weeks away, Shanahan said there was a chance Puni, a 17-game starter as a rookie last year, could be back in the lineup for the opening game. Meanwhile, running backs Patrick Taylor Jr. (dislocated shoulder) and Corey Kiner (high-ankle sprain) will both be out multiple weeks. With Isaac Guerendo (shoulder) and Jordan James (finger) — whom Shanahan described as the 'two and three' running backs — already out of action, that leaves the 49ers with newcomers Ke'Shawn Vaughn and Jeff Wilson Jr. backing up Christian McCaffrey at tailback. It could be worse, Shanahan said. 'All those guys will be back,' he said. 'We've been here before. You can never have too many backs, and we've got a number of them. And we haven't lost anyone for the year yet.' Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms Play today's puzzle
Yahoo
a day ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
49ers starting OL exits vs. Raiders with knee injury
One of the 49ers' starting offensive lineman exited early during San Francisco's preseason contest at the Las Vegas Raiders. To close the 49ers' first offensive drive, San Francisco starting right guard Dominick Puni got rolled up on the 49ers' 30-yard field goal that opened the game's scoring. The 49ers reported that Puni had been ruled out of the remainder of the preseason tilt at the Raiders with a knee injury. While it was positive to see 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy orchestrate a quick 12-play, 61-yard drive for points, San Francisco fans were naturally much more concerned with Puni's exit. Puni did jog off the field under his own power, but 49er fans will anxiously await a more thorough postgame update from San Francisco head coach Kyle Shanahan. Here's a look at what the play looked like where Puni got hurt: 49ers running back Patrick Taylor Jr. was also listed as questionable to return with a shoulder injury. Undrafted rookie running back Corey Kiner also exited via the cart with a left ankle injury in the second quarter. More 49ers: This article originally appeared on Niners Wire: 49ers starting OL exits vs. Raiders with knee injury
New York Times
2 days ago
- Sport
- New York Times
49ers standouts vs. Raiders: Brock Purdy's hot start, Jake Moody's redemption
LAS VEGAS — The injuries keep piling up for the San Francisco 49ers, as three players were knocked out of Saturday's preseason game against the Las Vegas Raiders, most notably starting right guard Dominick Puni. The 49ers couldn't run the ball (but hey, it's a passing league), and cornerback Deommodore Lenoir will be hearing it from teammates for a while after Raiders running back Ashton Jeanty hit him with a stiff-arm that sent Lenoir straight to the ground. Advertisement Jake Moody went from goat to hero and won the game, 22-19, with a 59-yard field goal with 13 seconds left. He was one of three standouts at Allegiant Stadium, along with three things that will have the coaching staff scratching their heads when they watch the game on film. Moody missed a 53-yard field goal badly in the second quarter after making a 30-yarder in the first quarter. He then barely made a 26-yarder in the third quarter, and maybe Greg Joseph, the vanquished training-camp competitor, was getting a little excited watching on his couch somewhere. But Moody nailed the next three kicks, from 50, 44 and 59 yards out, all in the fourth quarter and the latter two in the final minute. (He said his new two-step approach is good up until 63 yards, and beyond that, he might have had to go back to taking three steps.) His 49ers teammates swarmed him after the game-winning kick, and yeah, it was a rewarding feeling after his struggles last season. JAKE MOODY 59-YARD FIELD GOAL FOR THE WIN @49ers — NFL (@NFL) August 16, 2025 'It feels really good,' Moody said. 'I am glad I got a few more chances after the miss earlier to bounce back and get on track.' Purdy looked very sharp in his first appearance of the preseason. He completed 5 of 7 passes for 66 yards on the opening drive for a field goal, relying on his new favorite target with both George Kittle and Christian McCaffrey sitting out. Purdy hit Pearsall on the first two plays of the game, and then the best throw came on a third-and-18 conversion, where Purdy let go of the ball before Pearsall even cut inside on his dig route. The two did have a miscommunication later in the end zone, when Pearsall apparently went the wrong way on a choice route. Purdy's other incompletion was off the hands of Demarcus Robinson. Brock Purdy and Ricky Pearsall in an early rhythm Watch on @NFLNetworkStream on @NFLPlus — NFL (@NFL) August 16, 2025 Pearsall finished with three catches on four targets for 42 yards on that first drive, and then he and Purdy put on baseball caps. 'The more Brock and Ricky are out there together, the better they get,' coach Kyle Shanahan said. 'Ricky got a late start, but he's put together a couple of good weeks. He's been that way in practice, and it was good to get him out there and see it in a game.' Advertisement Shanahan also had to feel good about Brandon Aiyuk (knee) running routes in pregame warmups and Jauan Jennings (calf) joining the team at the game after missing the last couple of weeks. The rookie missed a couple of tackles for the second consecutive preseason game, but that's just because he is moving so fast. Martin had a sack and also later punched the ball out on a deep throw to a tight end, forcing an incompletion. 'He came around and had some really good hits,' Shanahan said. 'He had that sack on a third down, and I saw a lot of good things. I am excited to watch the film on the plane.' Defensive backs Marques Sigle and Chase Lucas, meanwhile, built off their strong performances in the first preseason game. Sigle showed his open-field tackle prowess, while Lucas came up with a sack for the second consecutive week and an interception. He looked like the receiver on the play. Chase Lucas gets the ball back for the @49ers 🙌 Watch on @NFLNetworkStream on @NFLPlus — NFL (@NFL) August 16, 2025 After the game, Lucas gave 'thanks to (Raiders quarterback Aidan) O'Connell for throwing a perfect pass right in my hands.' He also credited defensive coordinator Robert Saleh for the 135 film clips Lucas was given to watch this week, saying he saw the route coming the whole way off of the snap. The 49ers have had a lot of injuries during training camp, and they had three more players go down early in Saturday's game. Puni left the game with a knee injury after teammate Matt Hennessy was pancaked back onto his leg on a field goal. Shanahan said Puni has a possible PCL injury and might miss a few weeks, putting his status for the regular-season opener in question. Running back Patrick Taylor was knocked out with a shoulder injury, and then rookie running back Corey Kiner was carted off the field after his ankle apparently got twisted up on a tackle after a 19-yard run. Shanahan said Patrick suffered a dislocated shoulder and Kiner has a high-ankle sprain. Both will miss a few weeks. Advertisement The 49ers ran the ball 28 times for 64 yards (2.3 average). If you took away the nice hole on Kiner's 19-yarder, it would have been 27 for 45 (1.7 average). The 49ers' backup offensive linemen weren't able to create any space, and right tackle Pleasants really struggled. The team combined for four false starts, two by Isaiah Prince (two) and one each by Spencer Burford (one) and center Nick Zakelj, who was whistled for a snap infraction. The second-round rookie defensive tackle is big enough to occupy space, but his slow get-off was again noticeable after he had a quiet performance in the preseason opener. It will be interesting to see how much the 49ers can play him early in the season. (Photo of Jake Moody, 4: Candice Ward / Getty Images) Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms Play today's puzzle
San Francisco Chronicle
27-07-2025
- Sport
- San Francisco Chronicle
What was Dominick Puni's one regret from his stellar 49ers rookie season?
Dominick Puni smiled and shook his head. Yes, the San Francisco 49ers right guard said, he knew all about the painful play in question. It was the first quarter of the 49ers' win over the Patriots in Week 4 last September. On a 1-yard run by Jordan Mason, Puni made a second-level block on linebacker Raekwon McMillan, who drove him backward as Mason was tackled into Puni's back. Puni stayed down after he was sandwiched, and Spencer Burford entered to replace him after Puni arose and walked to the sideline with trainers. Puni had the wind knocked out of him, and missed just one play. The reason for his rueful smile last week? It was his only absence during a rookie season in which he played 1,078 of 1,079 snaps. 'Man, I regret it,' Puni said. 'I wish I could have gotten up and stuck it out. It would have been cool (to play every snap), but I couldn't breathe.' Puni just missed joining an exclusive ironman club – only nine NFL players were on the field for 100% of their team's offensive snaps in 2024 – but he had few other regrets from a debut season marked by excellence. Puni, a third-round pick, was the star pupil of what appears to be a stellar eight-man draft class. He established himself as the starter early in training camp and, by October, left tackle Trent Williams was calling him a 'godsend' with 'Pro Bowl/All-Pro' potential. Puni allowed three sacks (none in his first 10 games), earned Pro Football Focus' fifth-highest grade (80.5) among qualifying guards and was named to the Pro Football Writers of America's all-rookie team. After the season, Puni's exit interview with Kyle Shanahan, his exacting head coach, wasn't marked by talk of areas in which he needed to improve in Year 2. 'It was a good conversation,' Puni said. 'It was more about looking ahead to the next year and having our rookie class take the next step.' That message isn't surprising. Shanahan has often discussed how players tend to exhale after successful first seasons, and how the loss of focus and hunger leads to sophomore slumps. Asked about that danger, Puni's answer suggested he's also a quick study when it comes to the realities of a cutthroat league. He's not eligible for a contract extension until the end of his third year and he believes his relatively modest salary – he'll count $1.295 million against the salary cap this season – means he could quickly take a seat on the sideline if he takes a step back. 'My mindset is that you never really have a spot,' Puni said. 'Just being real, your first four years -- until you get paid the big bucks -- you're not solidified. If you're getting $30 million, it's hard not to play that guy. But as a young guy, if you have a bad season, people will start to question you. I've kept that in the forefront of my mind: I haven't done anything yet and I can't be satisfied.' Puni thinks his small-time background helps guard against a big-headed belief that he's already arrived. He was a no-star prep recruit who spent his first three seasons at Division II Central Missouri before transferring to Kansas. His journey has fostered humility and gratitude. He appreciates the opportunity he now has in the NFL – he didn't expect to have a pro career three years ago – and doesn't intend to waste it. 'When I transferred from UCM to Kansas, the coaches kept telling me, 'Man, you're grateful for this free Gatorade,'' Puni said. 'I'm like, 'Yeah, we didn't get this at UCM.' I was buying my Gatorade from the gas station. And I would be really excited to drink it after practice. 'But in the NFL you can take whatever you want home. And you have all the tools in the world. The training room. The hot tub. The cold tub. When you don't know what you have, it's hard to be grateful for it.' Still, it took Puni time to make use of all his resources last year. He typically lifted a few weights on the day after games during the first half of the regular season before he began following the counsel of offensive line coach Chris Foerster and veteran teammates. Foerster has noted rookies often bounce back faster than older players, but those who don't develop a recovery routine pay a price as they age. Puni finished the season spending time in hot and cold tubs and getting massages. 'I think in college you can get away with it because it's 12 games and you can tough it out,' Puni said. 'But in the NFL, your body is talking to you like, 'How much do have left?'' Puni thinks his latter-season routine allowed him to successfully finish his 17-game, 1,078-snap grind. Of course, he wishes it had been 1,079 snaps. But the play he missed provides even more motivation for a second-year player intent on avoiding a sophomore slump. 'Hopefully, this year I can stick it out every play,' Puni said. 'That's the goal.'
Yahoo
11-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Two 49ers make NFL analyst's 'best team money can buy under the 2025 salary cap'
The San Francisco 49ers have a talented roster filled with players who they're hoping will help them make it back to the postseason in 2025 and capture their first Super Bowl win since the 1994 season when they defeated the San Diego Chargers 49-26 in Super Bowl XXIX. While San Francisco has all that talent, they remain $45.7 million under the salary cap, meaning they could spend much more to give themselves an even better chance of success this year and beyond. Advertisement The salary cap is a tool that helps bring parity to the league, as it keeps a handful of teams from spending a billion dollars and signing every big name and leaving others left without much hope of making a real run at a Lombardi Trophy themselves. With this down time during the offseason, everyone is coming up with creative content ideas, and editor Tom Blair recently took on the task of building the best roster that money can buy under the 2025 NFL salary cap. For this exercise, Blair went through the NFL rosters and used players' current contracts to attempt to build a team with the best chance of winning a Super Bowl while staying under the $279.2 million salary cap for the 2025. Interestingly, Blair chose two 49ers for his team - offensive guard Dominick Puni and linebacker Fred Warner. Advertisement Puni is a great value pick as a starting guard making $1.7 million in the second year of his rookie deal. Blair pointed out that last seasons he had the sixth-best Pro Football Focus grade among all guards. As a rookie, that's pretty impressive and gives the 25-year-old a strong starting point for 2025. Warner, on the other hand, is simply the best inside linebacker in the league, and a $16.06 million cap hit isn't keeping anyone away. "The recently extended Fred Warner brings the kind of defensive dominance that -- sure, I'll say it -- you can't put a price on," Blair wrote. "Plus, the realities of the linebacker market mean I can still slot in another do-it-all monster alongside Warner without having to spend much..." At 28 years old, Warner has already racked up four Pro Bowl and All-Pro selections, including selections in each of the last three years. As long as he's healthy in 2025, he should find himself in the same conversation again at the end of the year. Advertisement More 49ers: 49ers breakout star has team's top contract situation worth watching in 2025 per insider This article originally appeared on Niners Wire: 49ers' Fred Warner, Dominick Puni receive due respect from NFL writer
