New 49ers kicker Wright was preparing for the hurricane when the team called originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
SANTA CLARA – Matthew Wright He was in Tampa, Florida, on Monday trying to pack as many of his belongings as he could in preparation for Hurricane Milton when his agent called him with a job offer.
In the midst of the madness, Wright was told that the 49ers had an open roster spot due to Kicker Jake Moody Sprained Ankle that will probably put him out of the game for at least a month and could put him on injured reserve.
Before hopping on a plane to the West Coast, Wright was able to gather many of his belongings and get them out of trouble. He was also able to get his wife out of harm’s way before the hurricane. upgraded to category 5 storm – is likely to make landfall Wednesday night.
“My house is about to get hit by a hurricane, so I was packing,” Wright said Tuesday. “We’re ok. My wife left. Is everything all right”.
He The 49ers officially signed Wright on Tuesdaytwo days before a primetime matchup against the Seattle Seahawks.
This isn’t the first time the 49ers have looked to Wright as a possible replacement for Moody. with San Francisco for a week in 2023 when Shanahan and his coaching staff were unsure if Moody – injured at the time – would be available to kick.
Before the rush to pack up and run, and before the phone call from his agent, Wright had been following the same daily routine he had created for himself since being released by the Pittsburgh Steelers at the end of training camp.
Three times a week, Wright would go out to his backyard and begin a daily kicking regimen, following virtually the same schedule he had when he was on a team.
“It’s mostly what I’ve been doing, trying to treat every week – even if I’m not on a team – like I’m on a team,” Wright said. “Preparing my kick count, what I’m doing mentally, simulating a game day by myself.”
Wright has been on a lot of teams, no doubt.
After initially signing with the Steelers as an undrafted free agent in 2019, Wright spent 2021 with Jacksonville and then earned a Super Bowl ring while replacing Kansas City in 2022. He was with the Carolina Panthers in 2023 and spent training camp in Pittsburgh this season. .
Along the way, Wright made quite a name for himself. He has converted 40 of 47 attempts in 24 career games.
For now, he will fill in for the 49ers while Moody recovers from his ankle injury. Moody wore a walking boot and crutches as he walked through the team’s locker room at Levi’s Stadium on Tuesday.
Coach Kyle Shanahan said injuries like the one Moody has typically require a month or more of rehab and didn’t rule out placing the second-year kicker on the injured list if the situation persists or worsens.
