The San Francisco 49ers are no strangers to high stakes and intense scrutiny, but kicker Jake Moody is currently under the kind of spotlight most players would rather avoid. Selected in the third round of the 2023 NFL Draft, Moody’s journey from Michigan standout to NFL starter was initially promising. Yet, as his second professional year draws to a close, the comparisons to other notable kicker struggles are hard to ignore.

Roberto Aguayo, once picked by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the second round of 2016, is often remembered for the challenges he faced on the field, ultimately exiting the league after a single season. While it’s not entirely fair to put Moody in the same category, considering that Moody is still in his second year, the parallels between their careers are becoming a topic of discussion.

Moody’s rookie year hinted at potential with an 84.0 field goal percentage. Fast forward to 2024, and the landscape has shifted.

Midseason, Moody suffered a significant setback with a high-ankle sprain, impacting his performance and sidelining him for three games. Head coach Kyle Shanahan acknowledged that the injury to Moody’s kicking leg possibly affected his consistency as the season wore on.

Nevertheless, the numbers tell a challenging story. Entering the 49ers’ Week 18 finale, Moody’s field goal percentage stood at 71.9, a drop that hasn’t gone unnoticed. His struggles have been particularly evident from long distance – missing five of his eight attempts from beyond 50 yards and posting a troubling six out of ten from 40 to 49 yards.

By Week 18, Moody’s ranking was 33rd in the league for field goal percentage, setting alarm bells ringing for 49ers fans hoping for postseason precision. In a game against the Arizona Cardinals, Moody’s initial outing of 1-of-2 further nudged his season percentage down to 70.6, placing him below Aguayo’s infamous 71.0 percent mark.

This dip leaves both Moody and the 49ers in a reflective mood as they ponder adjustments and strategies moving forward. The road to redemption is still open for Moody, who has shown resilience by making it past the hurdles of his rookie year.

As the season wraps up, the focus for San Francisco’s coaching staff will be on recalibrating their young kicker’s skills and mindset, ensuring that his journey doesn’t mirror Aguayo’s in outcome. The promise is there; now, it’s a matter of harnessing it.