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Eddy Piñeiro of the San Francisco 49ers.

In just eight games, kicker Eddy Pineiro has endeared himself in a big way to 49ers Faithful.

Through the first half of the 2025 season, Pineiro is a perfect 19-for-19 on field goals, with a career-long of 59 yards. He currently ranks fifth in the league in total points scored. For a team that has too often flirted with disaster at the kicker position, Pineiro must feel like a breath of fresh air.

When asked if he and the team had given any thought about signing Pineiero to a contract extension, 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan was noncommittal.

“I don’t know,” Shanahan said about extending Pineiro on November 3. “I wish we could get a deal for all of our guys going forward, but that’s not something that I’ve discussed with anybody yet. But, I’m sure that’s stuff they will be discussing into this offseason.”

Why Eddy Pineiro Is Making a Strong Case for the 49ers, Kyle Shanahan to Re-Sign Him

Getty49ers coach Kyle Shanahan commented on whether or not San Francisco has discussed signing kicker Eddy Pineiro to a contract extension.

The veteran kicker arrived in San Francisco as an already established history of accuracy — he’s made 88.1% of his career field goal attempts — which places him among the most accurate kickers in modern NFL history for those with at least 100 attempts.

Pineiro began his NFL career with the Raiders in 2018 as an undrafted free agent out of the University of Florida, though he spent his rookie season on injured reserve. He spent time with the Bears in 2019, where he made a strong debut by converting 82.1% of his field goals. After injuries limited him in 2020, Pineiro had brief stints with the Indianapolis Colts and Washington Commanders before landing with the Carolina Panthers, where he kicked from 2022-2024.

Now, he’s giving the Niners their most consistent stretch of kicking since Robbie Gould was at his peak. In fact, he’s fresh from breaking Gould’s mark of 15 consecutive field goals.

Contrast that with the Jake Moody experiment, which ended with a dull thud. Moody went just 16-for-29 from beyond 40 yards and missed two critical kicks in Week 1 this season — one of them a chip shot that led to the Niners cutting him.

What Might a Pineiro Extension Cost the Niners?

Financially, keeping him wouldn’t break the bank and would be worth the money, particularly if he continues to earn the nickname “Eddy Dinero.” So, what might an extension cost San Francisco? Harrison Butker of the Chiefs earns around $6.4 million per year (nearly $18 million guaranteed) and is the highest-paid kicker in the league. The reliable veterans in the next tier — Daniel Carlson, Jason Sanders — pull roughly $4.6 to $4.4 million annually.

Pineiro should probably land somewhere in between. Cam Dicker of the Chargers makes $5.5 million per year. Pineiro probably deserves something in that ball park.

For his part, Pineiro couldn’t be happier he chose the Niners over the Falcons in free agency.

“I was supposed to leave to Atlanta yesterday until I got the call to come over here, and I took the opportunity and didn’t look back,” Pineiro said in September, via NBC Sports Bay Area.

“I want to win games. I want to be a part of a good culture and in my eighth year of my career, I want to win. … I just wanted the right opportunity, and thank God this opportunity came up and this is what I wanted.”

All that’s left now is for GM John Lynch to lock him down long-term.

Beth Mishler-Elmore Beth Mishler-Elmore is a Heavy sports contributor based in the Midwest, focusing on the NFL, NBA and WNBA. More about Beth Mishler-Elmore

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