Where Jake Moody's perfect debut ranks in NFL history
Where Jake Moody's perfect debut ranks in NFL history originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
Jake Moody had quite the NFL debut.
The 23-year-old rookie made all six kicks – three field goals and three extra points -- during the 49ers’ dominant 30-7 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers to open the 2023 NFL season Sunday.
Per Josh Dubow of The Associated Press, Moody is the first rookie kicker to open a season making all his kicks while attempting at least three field goals and three extra points since Baltimore Ravens star Justin Tucker in 2012.
#49ers Jake Moody is the first rookie kicker to go 3 for 3 or better on extra points and field goals in season opener since Justin Tucker (3 FGs, 5 PATs) did it in 2012 for Ravens
— Josh Dubow (@JoshDubowAP) September 10, 2023
Tucker made all five extra-point attempts and three field-goal attempts from 39, 40 and 46 yards in his debut Sept. 10, 2012 -- a blowout Ravens win. Tucker, of course, now is a five-time All-Pro, six-time Pro Bowl honoree and likely will go down as one of the greatest kickers in NFL history.
Ryan Longwell (1997) and John Diettrich (1987) also met that criteria in their NFL debuts. Eight kickers in NFL history made more than three field goals while staying perfect on kicks in their debuts, most recently Cade York of the Cleveland Browns.
Moody's story on the gridiron is just getting started.
His first career extra-point attempt in the first quarter was moved back five yards after the special-teams unit was whistled for a delay of game. But he nailed it -- and did the same after 49ers touchdowns in the second and third quarters.
Moody's first career field-goal attempt in the first quarter from 46 yards initially was blocked, but he was gifted another chance due to an obvious offsides call. He then split the uprights from 41 yards. Moody notched a 32-yard field goal in the second quarter and topped off San Francisco's scoring with a 40-yarder in the fourth.
It was a sigh of relief for Moody and the 49ers' front office, which selected him in the third round in the 2023 NFL Draft. Moody had a shaky preseason, missing two field-goal attempts in the opener and working through a quadriceps strain.
But he proved he can be trusted with a strong Week 1 performance.
"We're excited to go to battle with him," coach Kyle Shanahan said of Moody on the latest "49ers Gameplan" episode. "He's going to be our dude this year, and I think he's going to be our dude for a long time."
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