The Chicago Bears' Monday Night Football win over the Washington Commanders delivered one of the season’s most unexpected storylines and a new hero. Just days after being elevated from the practice squad to replace the injured Cairo Santos, kicker Jake Moody nailed a 38-yard field goal in the rain as time expired, sealing a 25-24 victory for Chicago.
Before that game, however, even the team’s franchise quarterback didn’t know who he was. “I really didn’t know who he was when he first joined the team,” Caleb Williams admitted in his postgame interview on ESPN.
“Then I saw him hit a 65-yarder in practice. For what he did tonight, coming here in tough conditions and pulling through for us — I’m proud of him and happy for us as a team.”
As reported by Sports Illustrated, Moody’s redemption arc has been fast and dramatic. After going 1-for-3 on field goals in Week 1 with the 49ers, the former third-round pick was waived by San Francisco.
He joined the Bears’ practice squad a month later and was thrust into action this week when Santos went down with a thigh injury. Under pressure and rain, he went 4-for-5 on field goals, including the game-winner, prompting teammates to lift him onto their shoulders after the final whistle.
Running back D’Andre Swift revealed on SportsCenter that he met Moody for the first time on the sideline that same night, and left the field celebrating his new teammate’s heroics. “Resilient, man,” Swift said. “I’m proud of him. Happy to have him on the team.”
USA Today added more color to Moody’s whirlwind 48 hours. After finding out Sunday that he’d start, the kicker admitted he barely slept and even took what he called an “ice shower” before the game, joking that it might become his new pregame ritual.
“A couple days ago, I didn’t know I was playing,” Moody said, emotional. “To get lifted up by my teammates after a win like that — it’s an amazing feeling.”
The Lou Groza Award winner’s four-field-goal debut tied a franchise record for the most in a Bears debut, marking a stunning turnaround for a player who just weeks ago was unemployed. Now, the Bears and Caleb Williams certainly know who Jake Moody is.
