Jake Moody was signed by the Chicago Bears on Sept. 12, nearly a month to the The day he found out he would be the starting kicker for the Bears, Monday night against the Commanders. 

The Sunday before, Moody slept uncomfortably on a twin-sized bed at the team hotel, and the water in the shower was either too hot or too cold. 

But after he learned he would be elevated from the practice squad to the active roster and start for the injured Cairo Santos, he took an ice-cold shower. 

Moody hit his first three field goals Monday night from 47 yards and 48 yards and 41 harder. His fourth attempt was blocked from 48 yards as the score stood 17-16 Commanders at the start of the fourth quarter. 

Chicago would call on him one final time with three seconds left in the game from 38 yards out. With conditions windy and wet, Moody nailed the kick, giving the Bears a 25-24 win. 

“I wasn’t surprised at all,” Head coach Ben Johnson said of Moody’s performance. “We have seen him in practice now for a number of weeks, that’s one. And then, we also know what he is capable of. He made big kicks in big games over the course of his career so far. So none of it was surprising, I think that’s who he is, and I think that change of scenery was really good for him.” 

Moody was released by the San Francisco 49ers, the same team that drafted him in the third round, 99th overall, back in 2023. It was after two missed field goals and one that got blocked that led to his departure from the 49ers after week 1. 

Three days later, Chicago picked up Moody and placed him on the practice squad, following Cairo Santos’ week 1 struggles, where he missed a 50-yard field goal against the Minnesota Vikings. 

Moody has been on the Bears’ practice squad for four weeks, staying ready for his next opportunity. 

“Just get reps – it’s as simple as that. I like to think if you’re overprepared for something, there is no reason that you shouldn’t be confident,” Moody said. 

Moody had still yet to formally meet his Chicago Bears teammates, but his clutch performance in none ideal conditions gives the Bears their third straight win after starting 0-2. 

“I really didn’t know who he was when he first joined the team,” Caleb Williams said postgame to ESPN. “Then I saw him kick a 65 yarder in practice. For what he was able to do, come in here, I know he’s had some tough time recently, but to come in here, rainy, windy all of this and come through for us, proud of him, happy for him, and happy for us as a team.” 

“That’s who we are, we fight,” Williams said. “That’s what coach said. We went 0-2 first two games, we tied it back up, went 2-2, and now we’re 3-2 because out fight, because of how we face adversity, and how we come through and come together.”