How Eddy Piñeiro Transformed a Career Lifeline into 49ers History

A franchise record for the San Francisco 49ers kicker.

Oct 19, 2025; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers kicker Eddie Pineiro (18) after the game against the Atlanta Falcons at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images | Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

Eddy Piñeiro may just kick footballs for a living, but his immediate impact on the San Francisco 49ers came at the perfect time.

The franchise had to deal with Jake Moody. His kicking brought uncertainty every time he lined up for a field goal or PAT. And he was rightfully cut after Week 1 this season.

While he's now producing the goods with the Chicago Bears, the 49ers chose to bring in Piñeiro. He previously spent time with the Carolina Panthers, where he maintained solid averages of 84.6% on field goals and 94.3% on PATs.

But since arriving in San Francisco, he’s wasted no time making history, setting a new franchise record.

Eddy Piñeiro eclipses Robbie Gould's franchise record

Oct 2, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers placekicker Eddie Pineiro (18) reacts after the game against the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

After the 49ers defeated the Atlanta Falcons 20-10 in Week 7, Piñeiro set a franchise record for the most conseuctive kicks made to start a season with 17.

In doing so, he broke Robbie Gould’s mark of 15 straight field goals. That's right, the very kicker who never missed in the postseason for the 49ers.

“It’s been amazing, honestly,” Piñeiro said, per 95.7 The Game post-match. “If you’d asked me when I first got here am I going to get a franchise record… You know it’s a dream come true, it takes all of us.

"Great snaps, great holds, and the guys blocking for me. I mean you see all these blocked kicks around the league. These guys that block for me do not get enough credit, it’s a unit thing.”

Even head coach Kyle Shanahan never envisioned Piñeiro having this kind of immediate impact with the team.

Oct 2, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan during the second half at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

“Probably not. He hasn’t missed one yet except for his first extra point. So, I wouldn’t count that," he told reporters on Wednesday.

"He said he hit every field goal except for one extra point. That definitely gives me a lot of confidence. My confidence is always based off my life experiences with someone and my life experience has been pretty damn good with him so far.

"So, he’s doing a hell of a job.”

Special teams were an exposed area for the 49ers in 2024. Yet after cutting ties with Moody early this season and bringing in a kicker once buried on depth charts despite an 89.2% conversion rate in Carolina, they now have one who’s been flawless on field goals and has missed only a single PAT — proof of what happens when an opportunity has presented itself.

He’s nailed plenty of impressive kicks, but eventually, he’ll miss a few, that’s just part of the game.

Still, with the way he’s impacted the team so far, it’s easy to forgive those moments.