How Eddy Piñeiro is succeeding where Jake Moody failed on the 49ers

An impressive outlook.

Oct 2, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers placekicker Eddie Pineiro (18) reacts after making a 59 yard field goal against the Los Angeles Rams during the second half at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Eddy Piñeiro is riding the crest of a wave since joining the San Francisco 49ers in Week 2 this season.

Since replacing Jake Moody as the starting kicker, he has made 87.5% of his extra point attempts and 100% of his field goals, with the latter tied for the best percentage in the NFL.

Eddy Piñeiro credits his father for overcoming setbacks

Sep 21, 2025; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers kicker Eddy Pineiro (18) reacts after kicking the game winning field goal against the Arizona Cardinals at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images | Kyle Terada-Imagn Images

Piñeiro's impact since joining the organization speaks volumes. The job may seem simple in theory, but his impressive accuracy has played a significant role in the 49ers' 4-2 record.

The 30-year-old opened up to reporters about how he handles pressure in high-stakes moments, drawing from his father’s soccer career.

"My dad was a professional soccer player," Piñeiro said. "My goal was to be better than him, and that never happened. But thank God this worked out for me, and I'm able to support my family doing it."

"My dad, like I said, he was a professional soccer player. He's missed penalty kicks, he's made penalty kicks, and he's helped his team win. He's been the reason why they've lost. And my dad's just really helped me through this whole process."

Eddy Piñeiro explains his biggest motivator

Sep 28, 2025; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers kicker Eddy Pineiro (18) before the game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images | Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

Piñeiro opened up about how performing in front of his parents motivates him to be at his best.

He explained that it provides added pressure, but it is obviously working effectively, as he has not missed a single field goal in red and gold.

"I wanted to do really good in front of my mom and dad," Piñeiro said on 95.7 The Game.

"I feel like sometimes I'm still a little kid. Like, I want to perform good in front of my mom and dad. I want them to be proud of me. So, having them there, I felt a little extra pressure because I'm like, 'No, I need to do well.' They haven't seen me in over a month. I want to do good for my mom. I want to do good for my dad. It felt good to have a good performance, even though we lost.

"They were super happy, of course," Piñeiro said. "They deserve the world, and this is why I do it. I do it for them, and if it's up to me, I'll live under a bridge. I'm okay. As long as they're living good, that's all that matters."

This mentality explains why he's so successful in his position. What a good person.