The San Francisco 49ers may be riding high after knocking off the Seattle Seahawks, but their upcoming clash with the New Orleans Saints carries a storyline that runs deeper than standings. For punter Thomas Morstead, it’s more than just another road trip—it’s a long-awaited return to the Superdome, the place where he cemented his legacy with the unforgettable “Ambush” onside kick in Super Bowl XLIV. But now coming back to it with a different team’s colors on his back.

He hasn’t played in the Caesars Superdome since January 2021. It was when the Tampa Bay Buccaneers ended both Drew Brees’s and, seemingly, Thomas Morstead’s Saints careers. The building was nearly empty due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Two months later, he was cut, and the man behind the legendary “Ambush” onside kick in Super Bowl XLIV was gone.

Since that time, he’s played for the New York Jets, Atlanta Falcons, and Miami Dolphins before finally landing in San Francisco. “One of the things I wrote down when I got cut by the Saints was to play in the Superdome again,” he said. “I didn’t think it would take me five years.”

New Orleans still feels like home to him. His five kids were born there. He lives there in the offseason. He expects about 40 friends and family in the stands. 

Yet San Francisco arrives in New Orleans battered. Quarterback Brock Purdy is sidelined with a turf toe injury and expected to miss two to five weeks, per Ian Rapoport. Head coach Kyle Shanahan described him as a “long shot” for Week 2, also mentioning some shoulder soreness. Now, the 49ers will rely on Mac Jones to take the snaps, while key players George Kittle and Brandon Aiyuk have already been ruled out.

So while Thomas Morstead enjoys a homecoming, the 49ers must claw for another win without their Pro Bowl quarterback. For them, it’s all about survival, and for Morstead, that means facing off against the city that still feels like home.

San Francisco 49ers’ turbulent week: Boyer stumbles, Moody out

The San Francisco 49ers kicked off 2025 with hopes of finding some stability. Instead, their first week fell into chaos. New special teams coordinator Brant Boyer’s debut has already sparked concern. A series of bold decisions is backfiring, and the consequences are hitting hard.

Boyer, who came over from the New York Jets, wasted no time in shaking things up. He let go of long-snapper Taybor Pepper in favor of 39-year-old Jon Weeks and replaced punter Mitch Wishnowsky with another 39-year-old, Thomas Morstead. He even brought in veteran kicker Greg Zuerlein to challenge the struggling Jake Moody.

However, Zuerlein was cut before the preseason even started, leaving Moody without competition. Rookie returner Junior Bergen, who was a bit of a gamble in the draft, fumbled punts during the preseason and was also let go. The whole overhaul was meant to address years of inconsistency, but it seems to have only made things worse.

Thomas Morstead managed to deliver two decent punts, but Moody fell apart. He missed a 27-yard chip shot and had a 36-yarder blocked after Matt Hennessey failed to protect. This was a painful reminder of his previous struggles, including preseason blunders and a crucial missed extra point in Super Bowl LVIII. By Tuesday, the 49ers had seen enough. They cut their 2023 third-round pick, who was once the highest-drafted kicker in seven years. And brought in veteran Eddy Pineiro.

Pineiro has a solid track record. He’s the fourth-most accurate kicker in NFL history, boasting an 86.2% accuracy rate in 2023 and 84.6% last season with the Carolina Panthers. He’s also reuniting with Boyer from their time together on the Jets. Coincidentally, he turns 30 this weekend, just in time for his debut against the New Orleans Saints.

The 49ers really needed Week 1 to help them find their rhythm. Instead, it ended up shaking their foundation and pushed Boyer’s unit into a quick reset.