The San Francisco 49ers have had their fair share of kicking drama during Kyle Shanahan’s tenure. From missed chip shots to inconsistency in clutch moments, the position has been a revolving door more often than not. But in 2025, something finally clicked - and his name was Eddy Pineiro.
After moving on from Jake Moody early in the season, the Niners brought in the 30-year-old Pineiro, and the veteran delivered exactly what this team had been missing: reliability. Pineiro missed just one field goal all season, going 28-for-29.
And that one miss? A 64-yard attempt that doinked off the crossbar.
That’s as close to perfect as it gets in today’s NFL.
Now, with free agency looming, the 49ers are facing a decision that might raise some eyebrows: could they actually use the franchise tag on a kicker?
On the surface, it sounds wild - tagging a kicker at a projected cost of $6 to $7 million? That's a hefty price for a position that often flies under the radar. But when you dig into Pineiro’s impact, the idea starts to make a lot more sense.
Let’s talk about value. Pineiro didn’t just stabilize the kicking game - he elevated it.
He led the entire league in field goal percentage at 96.6%, the highest mark of his career and the best in the NFL this season. In a year where every point mattered for a team with deep playoff ambitions, Pineiro was money.
Even in the postseason, when the pressure ramps up and every kick carries added weight, Pineiro stayed locked in. He went 3-for-3, including a clutch 56-yarder. That’s not just consistency - that’s playoff poise.
Sure, there were a few hiccups on extra points (he went 34-for-38), but the overall body of work speaks volumes. In a year when the 49ers needed answers at the position, Pineiro gave them certainty.
And that’s what makes this franchise tag conversation so interesting. Ideally, the front office would hammer out a long-term deal, locking in a proven performer without breaking the bank. But if negotiations stall, tagging Pineiro becomes a legitimate fallback option - not because they want to spend that kind of money on a kicker, but because the alternative is rolling the dice on another unproven leg.
Let’s not forget - the 49ers have been down that road before. And in a league where games are often decided by three points or less, having a kicker you trust can be the difference between a playoff run and an early exit.
Pineiro’s journey across the league - from Chicago to New York to Carolina - has been anything but linear. But in San Francisco, he’s found his rhythm, and the 49ers have found their guy. Whether it’s through a multi-year deal or the franchise tag, it’s clear the team wants to keep him in red and gold.
Tagging a kicker might not be conventional, but in this case, it might just be the smart move.