A 6-1 start has kept the San Francisco 49ers among the NFL’s top contenders, even after their first loss of the season exposed some costly mistakes. But with playoff ambitions comes little room for repeated errors, especially when missed kicks can change the course of a game. The team now has a decision to make during its bye week, and general manager John Lynch has made his position clear.
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Kicker Eddy Pineiro has struggled through the opening seven games, missing four extra points and three field goals. His latest miss came during Sunday’s 29-20 loss to the Atlanta Falcons, prompting questions about whether San Francisco would bring in competition before its next game. Lynch shut down the immediate prospect of a change and reaffirmed the team’s confidence in Pineiro.
“We don’t have a kicker tryout,” Lynch told reporters on Tuesday. “We have a lot of belief in Eddy. He has had a tough run early this year, but we extended Eddy for his body of work with us but then throughout the history of his career. He’s going through a rough patch right now. We have belief in Eddy, and we’re going to ride with him.”
The statement gives Pineiro a reprieve after a difficult start, though it does not guarantee that the team will never reconsider its options. Head coach Kyle Shanahan had also indicated that the 49ers had no current plans to audition kickers during the bye week.
Pineiro’s missed extra point hurt the 49ers in their loss to Atlanta. San Francisco had cut the deficit to 26-20 in the fourth quarter, but Pineiro missed the kick after the touchdown. The 49ers stayed six points behind. Atlanta then added a field goal to make it a nine-point deficit game. San Francisco couldn’t close the gap before time ran out.
Eddy Pineiro’s Contract Gives Another Reason to Wait
Pineiro’s struggles stand in contrast to his impressive arrival in San Francisco last season. After joining the team in Week 2 of 2025, he converted 28 of 29 field-goal attempts, providing stability after the 49ers moved on from Jake Moody. Pineiro earned a four-year, $17 million extension this offseason after his strong performance.
The deal makes cutting him a costly move. He has $8 million in fully guaranteed money this year and $4 million guaranteed in 2027. Over the Cap estimates that releasing him would leave the 49ers with a sizable dead-cap hit.
But the missed kicks are becoming harder to overlook. Pineiro has made just six of nine field goals this season. He has also missed four extra points. The bye week gives him time to work on his technique before the 49ers face the Las Vegas Raiders on November 8.
San Francisco is still 6-1 despite the loss to Atlanta. The team also ranks among the NFL’s top teams in several Week 8 power rankings. One loss doesn’t erase what the 49ers have done so far, but their kicking problems need attention.
For now, Lynch is sticking with Pineiro. The kicker still has the front office’s support, but he needs to get back to the form that earned him his new deal. His performance in the coming weeks will be important.