The NFL kicking carousel is a wild, unpredictable ride that usually only matters when the ball hooks left as time expires. Honestly, if you blinked during the middle of the 2025 season, you might have missed one of the most interesting "what-if" scenarios in recent Chicago history. Jake Moody, the high-profile leg formerly of the San Francisco 49ers, briefly wore the navy and orange, and the way it happened—and ended—says a lot about the current state of the Chicago Bears special teams.
It wasn't a long tenure. It was basically a cup of coffee in Lake Forest.
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But for a fan base still haunted by the "double-doink" of 2018, any movement at the kicker position feels like major news. When the Bears snagged Moody for their practice squad in September 2025, it felt like a potential changing of the guard. Cairo Santos has been the bedrock of reliability for years, but the NFL moves fast, and leg strength is a currency that never loses its value.
Why the Bears Brought in Jake Moody
Let’s be real: Cairo Santos is a legend in Chicago. He’s the most accurate kicker in franchise history, which is saying something given the wind conditions at Soldier Field. However, by early 2025, a few cracks started to show. Santos, while deadly accurate from short range, doesn't have the 60-yard cannon that many modern kickers possess.
When the 49ers waived Jake Moody after a rough Week 1 performance against the Seahawks—where he missed two field goals in a narrow 17-13 win—the Bears didn't hesitate. They signed him to the practice squad on September 12, 2025.
It was a low-risk move. Moody was a third-round pick out of Michigan in 2023. You don't just find that kind of pedigree on the street. Chicago saw him as two things:
- High-level insurance for Santos.
- A potential future starter with the "big leg" they’ve been missing.
The Two-Game Cameo That Almost Changed Everything
Opportunities in the NFL usually come through someone else's misfortune. For Moody, that moment arrived when Cairo Santos went down with a thigh injury.
Moody was elevated from the practice squad and suited up for two games in October 2025. This is where the narrative gets interesting. Most people forget how well he actually played during that stretch. He didn't just fill in; he dominated.
Across those two appearances—most notably a high-stakes Monday night game against the Washington Commanders—Moody went 8-for-9 on field goals. He was hitting everything. 40 yards? Easy. 48 yards? No problem. He even nailed a game-winner against the Commanders on October 13, 2025, which, ironically, was the team that would eventually "steal" him away.
That performance put the Bears in a tough spot. You have a veteran in Santos who is loved by the locker room, but you also have a young 25-year-old who just proved he can handle the pressure of the Chicago spotlight.
The Poaching: How the Commanders Stole the Leg
The problem with the NFL practice squad is that it’s essentially a waiting room where other teams can shop.
Because the Bears kept Moody on the practice squad once Santos returned to health, he was fair game. On November 17, 2025, the Washington Commanders—struggling with their own kicking woes after cutting Matt Gay—stepped in. They signed Moody directly to their 53-man roster.
Just like that, he was gone.
Chicago fans were understandably frustrated. The team had found a guy who could potentially be the long-term solution, and they lost him for nothing. No trade picks. No compensation. Just a "thanks for the memories" and a flight to D.C.
Comparing the Stats: Moody vs. Santos
When you look at the numbers from the 2025 season, the "what-if" gets even more painful for some Bears fans.
- Cairo Santos: Finished the year with an 83.3% completion rate (25-of-30). He was perfect on extra points but missed two kicks from the 40-49 range and two more from beyond 50.
- Jake Moody (Total 2025): Finished 19-of-23 (82.6%) across three different teams (SF, CHI, WAS).
- Moody as a Bear: He was at 88.9% (8-of-9).
The real difference isn't just the percentage. It’s the range. In 2025, the Bears were noticeably hesitant to attempt field goals over 52 yards. They often opted to punt or go for it on fourth down in "no man's land." Moody's career-long of 57 yards represents a weapon the Bears offense simply hasn't had in their arsenal.
The Perception vs. Reality of Jake Moody
There is a weird misconception that Moody is "unreliable" because of his exit from San Francisco.
Sure, he struggled in the 2024 regular season, hitting only 70.6% of his kicks. And yes, the 49ers fans were ruthless after he missed a potential game-winner against the Browns earlier in his career.
But look at the context. He holds the record for the longest field goal in Super Bowl history (55 yards), even if it was broken later that same game. He was a Lou Groza Award winner at Michigan. The talent is undeniable. His stint in Chicago proved that his "yips" in San Francisco might have just been the pressure of being a high-draft-pick kicker on a Super Bowl-or-bust roster.
In the Windy City, he looked loose. He looked like the guy who scored 355 points for the Wolverines.
What This Means for the 2026 Chicago Bears
As we head into the 2026 offseason, the Bears find themselves back where they started.
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Cairo Santos is another year older (34). He’s still a pro's pro, but the team's inability to keep a young talent like Moody might haunt them if the kicking game regresses this year. The Bears have been linked to Michigan’s Dominic Zvada in the upcoming draft, showing that the front office is still looking for that "power leg."
Losing Moody wasn't a talent evaluation failure; it was a roster management gamble that didn't pay off. They hoped they could hide him on the practice squad. They couldn't.
Actionable Takeaways for Bears Fans
If you're watching the kicking situation this year, keep these points in mind:
- Watch the 50+ Yard Accuracy: If the Bears continue to pass up long field goals, it's a sign they still don't trust the leg strength on the roster.
- Practice Squad Protection: Expect the Bears to be much more aggressive in using "standard elevations" and active roster spots for specialists they want to keep.
- The "Moody Effect": Keep an eye on Washington. If Moody blossoms into a Pro-Bowler in 2026, the decision to let him be poached will go down as a significant "miss" for the Ryan Poles era.
The kicking game is often an afterthought until it’s the only thing that matters. Jake Moody’s brief time as a Chicago Bear was a reminder that even the smallest roster moves can have massive ripples.