The Strange Case of Eddy Piñeiro’s Extra-Point Struggles

Eddy Piñeiro has been one of the most reliable field-goal kickers in football since joining the 49ers, but there has been one strange exception to his success. For whatever reason, the kick that should be the most routine has given him the most trouble.

Sep 27, 2026; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers kicker Eddy Pineiro (18) reacts against the Arizona Cardinals in the first half at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Eddy Piñeiro has been automatic for the 49ers since joining the team, but he’s had a strange struggle with extra points.

Piñeiro has been one of the best kickers in the NFL since joining the Niners in Week 2 of last season, as he has made 34 of 36 field goals for a 94.4% field-goal percentage. Despite his dominance kicking field goals, Piñeiro absurdly has a worse percentage on PATs, as he is 47 of 54 for 87% on the 33-yard kick.

What’s even more wild about this stat is that since Piñeiro joined the 49ers, he has made 26 of 28 field goals from beyond the 33-yard distance of an extra point.

Ironically, Piñeiro’s first kick was a missed PAT in the 49ers’ Week 2 victory over the Saints, but beyond that, he had an absolutely sensational season kicking for the 49ers. He finished 28 of 29 for 96.6% on his field-goal attempts for the year. That 96.6% was tied for the best in the NFL last season, and he was a critical component of a 49ers team that made a run to the divisional round.

Sunday’s 49ers-Cardinals game was a perfect example of Piñeiro’s time with the 49ers, as he hit a 57-yard field goal but missed two PATs.

Is this coincidental, or is there something going on? That’s the million-dollar question. The statistics make you wonder if there is something else there, whether Piñeiro’s approach is different mentally when he takes PATs or if the setup itself plays a role. On PATs, the kicking team can choose where to place the ball laterally between the hash marks, as opposed to a field goal where the spot is dictated by where the previous play ends. It’s one of those stats where you can’t come to a clear conclusion, and theories will float around.

The 49ers don’t have a kicking problem. Piñeiro is money, and as long as he continues to be consistent on his field goals, he will be key, but his PAT misses are absurd given his status as a field-goal kicker.