The 49ers aren’t making a change at kicker right now, even with Eddy Piñeiro off to a shaky start.
General manager John Lynch said Tuesday on KNBR that San Francisco does not have a kicker tryout lined up this week, and he was direct about where the team stands on Piñeiro.
“We don’t have a kicker tryout. We’ve got a lot of belief in Eddy.
He’s had a tough run early this year, but we extended Eddy for his body of work with us, but then throughout the history of his career, and he’s going through a rough patch right now. I think there are some things he’s identified that he’s got to fix in terms of his technique and the entire operation, and we’re going to focus on those.
Another reason why a bye week is coming at an opportune time. We need to get that right.
That’s obviously very important. But we do have belief in Eddy, and we’re going to ride with him.”
Head coach Kyle Shanahan echoed that message earlier in the week when he was asked about the kicker situation.
“I haven’t discussed it with guys. I haven’t been told that we are," Shanahan said. "As far as I’ve heard we don’t have any plans on that right now.”
Piñeiro has made 6 of 9 field goals this season. He’s been perfect on his attempts from inside 50 yards, going 4-for-4, but he’s only 2-for-5 from 50-plus, with misses against the Broncos, Seahawks and Rams.
The bigger issue has shown up on extra points. Piñeiro is 21-for-25 on PATs, including 2-for-3 in Sunday’s loss in Atlanta. He has missed two extra points against the Cardinals and one apiece against the Commanders and Falcons.
San Francisco would be taking on a difficult look by moving on from him this soon after giving him a four-year, $17 million extension this offseason that included $10 million guaranteed. That kind of commitment explains why Lynch and Shanahan are staying patient, even with Piñeiro dealing with misses in 2026.
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The 49ers have enough moving parts elsewhere without having to wonder about every field goal and extra point, and the possibility of a change is starting to feel more realistic by the week. If they do decide to move on, the free-agent market offers a few familiar names to monitor, with Graham Gano, Matt Prater and Riley Patterson among the kickers who could come into the conversation. [Read more 🡒]
49ers Halloween Party Turns Viral Scandal Into A Locker Room Debate
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At least two San Francisco players leaned into the reference, with one showing up in a jersey and another in a jail outfit, turning a serious off-field case into the kind of locker-room debate that can follow a team long after the music stops. It was a reminder that viral stories have a way of bleeding into NFL culture quickly, especially when the subject already comes with enough controversy to make a Halloween costume feel like commentary. [Read more 🡒]