Funny how quickly things can change in the NFL. Not long ago, Skyy Moore’s name was being muttered by 49ers fans for all the wrong reasons-fielding punts deep in his own territory, taking risks that felt more reckless than calculated.
But fast-forward to the back half of the 2025 season, and Moore’s gone from question mark to exclamation point. Now, the only thing raising eyebrows is how bright his future looks in San Francisco-or possibly elsewhere.
Moore has quietly become one of the key catalysts behind a dramatic turnaround for the 49ers’ special teams, a unit that’s gone from liability to legitimate asset. For years, special teams felt like the forgotten phase of the game in Santa Clara-something the team had to survive, not rely on.
That’s no longer the case. Through Week 13, the Niners are averaging 12.1 yards per punt return (10th in the league), with 254 total punt return yards (ninth).
They’ve also ripped off five kickoff returns of 40 yards or more-tied for second most in the NFL.
Those aren’t just empty stats. They’re game-changers.
Take Sunday’s 26-8 win over the Browns. Moore delivered a first-quarter punt return that helped set the tone early, flipping field position and giving the 49ers’ offense a short field to work with. That kind of hidden yardage doesn’t always show up in the box score, but it’s the type of play that coaches love-and that wins games in December and January.
“I think Skyy’s been awesome,” head coach Kyle Shanahan said after the win. “We keep feeling him for a while now, getting better and better.”
And he’s not wrong. Moore’s growth has been steady, and it’s been noticeable.
Credit also goes to special teams coordinator Brant Boyer, who’s made an immediate impact in his first year with the team. The improvement didn’t happen overnight, but it’s real.
You could tell something had shifted when the team made the bold call to waive kicker Jake Moody after Week 1-a move that signaled a new standard was being set.
Moore’s emergence has given the 49ers something they haven’t had in a long time: a return man who’s not just safe, but dangerous. Not since the days of Ted Ginn Jr. has San Francisco had a returner who could consistently flip the field and threaten to break one. Shanahan himself acknowledged the unit’s rise.
“Yeah, definitely,” he said. “I think they have been a weapon, probably at least this last month.”
But here’s where things get tricky. Moore is set to hit free agency in 2026.
The 49ers got a steal when they acquired him from the Chiefs for a sixth-round pick and a swap of sevenths, but that bargain is about to expire. He’s currently on a $1.5 million deal-a number that’s almost certain to rise if he hits the open market.
And that puts the front office in a tough spot. Do you pay a premium for a return specialist, even one as impactful as Moore? Or do you roll the dice and try to find the next one?
49ers fans have seen that movie before, and it doesn’t end well. Ray-Ray McCloud was solid but unspectacular.
Dante Pettis, Richie James, Ronnie Bell-none of them brought the kind of consistent spark Moore has delivered. And when your special teams unit is finally a strength, thanks in large part to Moore and Boyer, letting that go feels like taking a step backward.
That’s the dilemma. The 49ers have turned their special teams from a pain point into a weapon. Now they have to decide if they’re willing to pay to keep it that way.
Because if they don’t, they’re back to hoping someone else can catch punts cleanly, hold on to the ball, and maybe-just maybe-flip the field once in a while. And in this league, hope isn’t a strategy.