The San Francisco 49ers are on their third kicker in as many weeks as they enter their Week 7 Super Bowl rematch versus the Kansas City Chiefs.
We recap what’s happened to the last two Niners kickers and what to expect from their new kicker, Anders Carlson.
Jake Moody Injury Continues To Cause Problems for San Francisco
Second-year kicker Jake Moody was off to a terrific start to the 2024 season. Moody had converted 13 of his 14 field goals over the first five weeks.
However, Moody went down in Week 5 against the Arizona Cardinals with a right high-ankle sprain trying to make a tackle.
#JakeMoody @49ers
Injured right ankle of this tacklehttps://t.co/KJZuMQNe2r pic.twitter.com/AmXUXadMyA— David J. Chao – ProFootballDoc (@ProFootballDoc) October 6, 2024
Kyle Shanahan, the 49ers head coach, suggested that Moody would be out for roughly a month. He was later placed on injured reserve, putting him out until at least Week 11.
In his place, the Niners signed veteran Matthew Wright, who won a competition between four kickers for the right to kick in Moody’s stead.
Matthew Wright Added to Injury Report After One Game
Wright was perfect in his 49ers debut, going 3-for-3 on field goals and 3-for-3 on extra points in San Francisco’s 36-24 win over the Seattle Seahawks.
SEE MORE: NFL Injury Report
However, Wright dislocated his shoulder late in the game. Although it was thought that he might be able to continue kicking at first, he was placed on injured reserve late in the week, knocking him out until at least Week 12.
Who Is Anders Carlson?
Now the 49ers will be on their third kicker in as many weeks. Shanahan announced late in the week that Carlson would be elevated after signing with the practice squad earlier in the week.
Kyle Shanahan announces the 49ers will elevate kicker Anders Carlson from the practice squad, and he hopes to avoid another injury at the position 😬 pic.twitter.com/f3wPz1v1MO
— 49ers on NBCS (@NBCS49ers) October 18, 2024
Carlson, whose brother Daniel kicks for the Las Vegas Raiders, was a sixth-round pick by the Green Bay Packers in 2023. He was Green Bay’s kicker last year but was just 27-for-33 (81.8%) on field goals last season. He also missed five extra points, the most of any kicker last season.
Ironically, Carlson’s most notable moment came against the 49ers in the Divisional Round of the playoffs. After making his first two field goals of the game, Carlson missed from 41 yards out with 6:21 remaining in the fourth quarter and the Packers up 21-17.
The field goal would have given Green Bay a seven-point lead and would likely ensure at least overtime. Instead, the 49ers took the miss and went down the field for the game-winning touchdown.
Carlson remained in Packers camp but lost the camp battle to undrafted rookie Brayden Narveson. Now he’s getting a second chance with one of the Packers’ NFC rivals, who are simply hoping he can make it through their Week 7 game unscathed.
