The 49ers’ 4-0 start has kept the spotlight off a problem that has quietly surfaced in the first month of the season: Eddy Piñeiro has not looked nearly as sharp as he did a year ago.
Through four weeks of the 2026 regular season, the 31-year-old kicker has already missed two field goals and two extra points. That’s a noticeable dip for a player who built his reputation in San Francisco last season on being steady and dependable.
The misses have come in different forms, but both field goal attempts were from deep range. Piñeiro pushed a 52-yard try off the right upright in Week 1 against the Los Angeles Rams in Melbourne, then had a 54-yard attempt blocked by the Denver Broncos in Week 4. His extra-point issues have been split as well: one miss against the Arizona Cardinals in Week 3 also hit the right upright, while the other drifted left.
His cleanest outing came in Week 2 against the Miami Dolphins, when he was perfect on all five extra-point attempts. Even so, that game stands out more as the exception than the rule in what has otherwise been a shaky opening stretch.
That’s a stark contrast to 2025, when Piñeiro was one of the league’s most reliable kickers. He missed just one field goal all season - a 64-yard attempt that hit the crossbar against the Indianapolis Colts in Week 16 at Lucas Oil Stadium - and he also missed five extra points, with two of those getting blocked. Across his 16 appearances with the 49ers, including the regular season and playoffs, he was perfect in all but five games.
This current run also looks different when stacked against his time with the Carolina Panthers. In three seasons there, Piñeiro’s roughest year came in 2023, when he missed a kick in six games.
One of those came at Lumen Field against the Seattle Seahawks, when a 55-yard attempt had enough leg but sailed wide right. That kick would have put Carolina ahead halfway through the third quarter, but instead the Seahawks took control and finished with a 37-27 win.
Even with the early hiccups, Piñeiro’s career resume still keeps this from turning into a panic move. He enters Week 5 with an 88.82% field goal percentage, good for third all-time on the NFL list.
For now, the numbers say the 49ers don’t need to sound the alarm. Still, the opening month has made one thing clear: Piñeiro has not been quite as Dinero as he was in 2025.
In Other News...
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John Lynch Could Have One More Aggressive Move In Mind
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With the November 10 trade deadline looming, John Lynch could still have one aggressive move left to make if he decides the run should be supported rather than merely managed. The names tied to that conversation point in a few different directions, from defensive tackle Daron Payne to wide receiver Quentin Johnston to edge rushers Za'Darius Smith and Khalil Mack, which says plenty about the range of ways San Francisco could try to bolster itself without waiting for the market to come to it. [Read more 🡒]
49ers Injury Report Brings Early Concern And One Intriguing Possibility
The first Week 5 practice brought an early dose of concern for San Francisco, with five players sitting out as the 49ers started preparing for Seattle. Nick Bosa, James Thompson, Kyle Juszczyk, Marques Sigle, and Upton Stout were all absent, while Mykel Williams, Mike Evans and Kaelon Black took part on a limited basis as the team tried to sort through an injury list that already had some familiar names on it.
Williams is the most intriguing piece of the group, since a return to the field could be on the table after he worked his way back from injury. Coach Kyle Shanahan also said Stout is day-to-day with a shoulder issue, which at least gives the 49ers some reason to keep a close eye on the week rather than assume the early absences will define it. [Read more 🡒]