Take the example of the San Francisco 49ers turning around their special teams unit. This new addition contributed heavily towards their surprising 8-4 start this year, and that’s seriously underselling him.🦅 In 2024, the 49ers ended up last in NFL for special teams, with an eye-watering minus-47.67 EPA. Now, they’ve flipped the script ranking second in the league with a positive 39.73 EPA. It is this turnaround that’s been so key to the team’s success. That comes on the heels of a dismal showing in SB LVIII, where a backbreaking special teams performance helped sink their chances of victory.
Last year, the 49ers’ special teams were among the worst in the league. They put up an EPA of minus-35.49 in that span. The large unit has actually continued to improve a staggering 75.22 points. This dramatic increase highlights just how critical this addition will be in helping the team strengthen its competitive advantage.
Skyy Moore has provided a major uplifting thrust for the freshened up special teams unit. He joined the team late in training camp after injuries left Jacob Cowing unavailable. After a tough start learning to play in his new home, Moore has found a groove and gotten better with every passing week. On special teams, he’s already made a monumental impact in the return game. With a phenomenal average of 28.3 yards per try, he’s currently fourth in the NFL in kick return yardage and third among all players with at least 15 return attempts.
“Me coming over pretty late in the offseason, I didn’t know that stuff,” – Skyy Moore
Combined with Moore’s explosive returns, the 49ers have been the best in the league in field goal accuracy and consistency. With 25 made field goals on the season, they are currently tied for second in the league. In fact, their 92.6% FG success rate has them ranked third in the entire NCAA. Kicker Eddy Piñeiro has been perhaps the most impressive 49er thus far. He broke a franchise record by making his first 22 field goal tries! Most impressively, he’s still perfect on all six tries from beyond 50 yards.
“Anytime [you’re] missing kicks, that brings attention to everything,” – Kyle Shanahan
It’s not just the kicking game. Piñeiro’s growing reliability has obviously helped build confidence for the entire special teams unit. Head Coach Kyle Shanahan in particular really hammered home on the idea of consistency. Just one error, he indicated, can blot out the memory of a dozen highlights.
“You can let one bad play happen and it kind of sours all 15,” – Kyle Shanahan
The change in mindset on special teams isn’t hard to see. Initially, Luke Gifford, one of the stars of the special teams unit, had confidence in their increasing importance in the overall team culture.
“We feel like we’re getting to the point where special teams is a weapon now and it’s not just about the offense and defense,” – Luke Gifford
Perhaps the most impressive turnaround has come in the special teams unit. This transformational shift has not only increased efficacy, improving performance and outcomes, but reinvigorated a sense of direction and pride within TARC’s membership. And players such as George Kittle and Kyle Juszczyk have publicly lobbied for Moore, recognizing his development and impact.
“I definitely see people like [George Kittle] and [Kyle Juszczyk] saying, ‘You’re doing great man, it’s fun to watch,’” – Skyy Moore
Turn your eyes toward the team’s upcoming slate. How well their special teams perform will be critical as they look to make a playoff push. The marked improvement from last year’s performance could be a game-changer as they face tough opponents in the coming weeks.
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