New 49ers kicker Wright was preparing for a hurricane when the team came calling

New 49ers kicker Wright prepared for hurricane as team call originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

SANTA CLARA – Matthew Wright was in Tampa, Florida, on Monday, trying to pack up as much of his belongings as possible to prepare for Hurricane Milton, when his agent called with a job offer.

Amid the madness, Wright was told the 49ers had an open spot on their roster due to kicker Jake Moody's ankle sprain, which will likely sideline him for at least a month and could land him on Injured Reserve.

Before boarding a plane for the West Coast, Wright managed to pack up many of his belongings and get them out of trouble. He also managed to get his wife out of harm's way before the hurricane – which has been upgraded to a Category 5 storm – is likely to make landfall on Wednesday night.

“My house is actually in danger of being hit by a hurricane, so I packed,” Wright said Tuesday. “We are good. My wife left. It’s all good.”

The 49ers officially signed Wright on Tuesday, two days before their prime-time showdown against the Seattle Seahawks.

This isn't the first time the 49ers have considered Wright as a possible replacement for Moody. He was in San Francisco for a week in 2023 when Shanahan and his coaching staff weren't sure whether Moody – then injured – would be available to kick.

Before the rush to pack up and flee, and before his agent's call, Wright had been going through the same daily routine he had put together since being released by the Pittsburgh Steelers at the end of training camp.

Three times a week, Wright went into his backyard and began a daily kicking routine, essentially following the same schedule he had when he was on a team.

“That’s just the most I’ve done: I try to treat every week like I’m on a team — even if I’m not on a team,” Wright said. “I prepare my kick count, what I do mentally, set up a simulated game day for myself.”

Wright has definitely been on a lot of teams.

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 in 2022 while filling in for Kansas City. 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 used crutches as he walked through the team's locker room at Levi's Stadium on Tuesday.

Coach Kyle Shanahan said injuries like Moody's typically require a month or more of rehab and didn't rule out placing the second-year kicker on IR if the situation persists or worsens.

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