It’s been a busy week for Matthew Wright, even for someone stepping in as an emergency kicker.
Wright joined the 49ers on Tuesday after the team lost their starting kicker, Jake Moody, to a high ankle sprain in their recent game against the Arizona Cardinals. In the 49ers’ 36-24 victory over the Seahawks on Thursday night, he successfully made all three of his field goals and all three extra points.
“I kind of say to myself, ‘You’ve done it a million times, just don’t overthink it,’” Wright shared.
This isn’t the first time Wright has played for a new team on short notice, but this week brought a unique challenge for him.
The fifth-year kicker, who has now played for five NFL teams, lives in Tampa, Florida. When he learned from his agent that the 49ers wanted him, he was busy getting ready for Hurricane Milton.
Instead of evacuating with his wife, Kelsey, and nearly everyone else in their neighborhood, Wright left Florida a day early. He first flew to the Bay Area and then traveled to Seattle with the team.
Hurricane Milton made landfall on Florida’s Gulf Coast as a Category 3 storm on Wednesday night, causing at least eight deaths and leaving over 3 million people without power.
Wright mentioned that his area “didn’t get too, too bad of stuff,” and noted that his wife returned from Orlando on Thursday to assess the damage and start repairs.
“The floors got wet,” he explained. “We’re going to need some new floors. But it’s not the worst.”
Wright has previously played for Pittsburgh (twice), Jacksonville, Kansas City, and Carolina. He’s had a lot of practice adjusting to new locker rooms, getting familiar with different special teams, and getting on the field quickly.
