Eddy Piñeiro wants to build consistency in second 49ers season
San Francisco 49ers kicker Eddy Pinero speaks to reporters following training camp Monday afternoon in Santa Clara.
Eddy Piñeiro wants to build consistency in second 49ers season originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
Video Transcript
What's up, guys?
Hey, how are you?
Good, good.
Well, do you recall this time last year where you were and what you were doing?
Yeah, I was training with my dad at a local high school and trying to get ready to get a call and be somewhere, so.
And where were you?
Where were you?
What city?
In Miami.
Yeah, Miami, yeah.
How much different is it taking the, the kicks when you have different holders?
Can you feel the difference, or is the goal to have it all feel the same?
Yeah, the goal is to have it all feel the same.
You know, they're both good holders, and it's been fun to watch them, you know, compete.
Both really good punters, so should be fun.
Right.
Eddie, you were working through, different things in the off-season.
What was your focus, you know, coming into this year?
Yeah, the focus this year for sure was just some kickoffs.
You know, get them in the location where Boyer wants me to get them.
Yeah, just working kickoffs, and you know, I feel like I was hitting the ball well last year, so I kind of just did the same thing I did this year.
So yeah.
Is it nice to have a full off-season knowing who your special teams coordinator is, and then going into the season with a little bit more consistency?
Of course, yeah.
I mean, it was, it was awesome.
I had a great off-season.
I feel like I put some good weight on, and just excited to be here and, you know, make kicks and make as many kicks as I can so I can stay around as long as I can here, so.
And why is it important for a kicker to put on good weight?
Yeah, you know, just late during the season, you know, having some good weight, you know, when it starts to get cold, you know, just for injury purposes, you know.
Hamstrings, groins, stuff like that, so.
You had not attempted tons, relatively speaking, tons of 50 plus yard field goals up until last year.
I know you talked about maybe that was other coaching staffs maybe didn't know, you know, about your leg, which sounds weird, but can you, what From your perspective, why, why d- were you given the opportunity to kick so many more last year?
So many more what?
I'm sorry.
50 plus yard field goals.
Oh, 50 plus?
Yeah.
I think it's a confidence thing.
I think, you know, if, if your kicker's making kicks and, you know, you have confidence in the kicker and the coaches have confidence in you, they'll send you out there.
That's just my personal opinion.
I may, may, maybe other guys disagree and be like, "Oh, analytics," and you know, "If he misses from here, they have, the other team has a per- percentage to," I don't know, "make a field goal," or whatever.
But, in my opinion, I think it's just giving the coaches confidence, you know, that you can make that kick.
Not just your coaches, but your teammates and, you know, get in a good rhythm to be, to put yourself in that position, so.
Eddie, you get, the coaches watch a lot of film.
They watch a lot of practice film.
Do you watch video of yourself, or do you just rely on how it feels and how you look- Yeah when you're approaching each kick?
Yeah, we definitely watch videos.
You know, we watch, I like to personally watch just when I miss, 'cause obviously when I make a kick it feels good and it comes off the leg.
I don't wanna fix any- something that's not broken, but definitely, you know, when I miss kicks in practice and stuff, we'll go back in and see what happened.
Did I miss-hit the ball?
How was the snap hold?
Different things, you know, so.
Eddie, you got rewarded with the, the biggest contract of your career this off-season, right?
Yeah.
So I, I guess what does that do in terms of pressure on you, or does that alleviate pressure, that you're not, like, kicking for a paycheck now?
Just- Yeah.
I mean, I think, I feel like there's always pressure, you know?
I mean, you know, I thank God that, you know, I got the contract that I got, but at the end of the day none of that matters, you know?
It's, you know, if I keep making kicks, I'll be here, and if I don't make kicks, you know, I'm not gonna be here, and that's just honestly the mindset, so.
Is that a hard thing as when you're coming out of college to grasp that?
That, that it's like, it's true all or nothing.
You make kicks, you're here.
You miss, and you're gone.
Absolutely.
Definitely.
That's why I think it's so hard for rookies when they come in, you know?
It's just such a short leash they have with kickers, you know?
You miss kicks, you're gone, and it's just part of the process and, you know, I wish I would've known that faster in my career.
You know, I'm like, "Oh, you know, I missed one.
I'm gonna be okay."
No, you're not gonna be okay.
I mean, you miss another one, you're probably gonna go home.
So, yeah, it's just the mindset and just, you know, it's just part of the process and, you know, I've been cut, I've been traded, and you know, just with years of experiences, you know, it's just part of the process, so.
When did that start clicking for you that you could just kind of flush it and move on?
Yeah, you know, I've, throughout my career I've, you know, I've made big kicks, missed big kicks, but just ultimately, you know, like I said, it just goes back to, you know, making kicks and having your teammates there for you when you're ma- when you're not making kicks and coaches there for you too and ki- kind of just be together as one, and I feel like this is what this team does so well, you know?
Obviously I only missed one field goal last year, but even just the one field goal I missed, I feel like everybody just got together and was like, "Hey, we got this."
And you know, it's just a different culture here, which is amazing to be a part of, so.
For sure.
At what point in- at what point in your career did you feel like you could get to that point, though?
'Cause you mentioned, you know, earlier not having that, that mentality- Mm-hmm that mindset.
When did that, when did you start thinking that way?
I think it, it kind of, I think it for me it was, you know, when I got traded to Chicago.
I was playing with the Raiders and then I got traded, and it was just like, 'cause they told me something different like, "Oh, you're gonna be here for a long time.
We love you.
You're m- you know, you're doing well."
And then out of nowhere, boom, traded.
And I was like, "Oh, that's crazy.
You told me something different."
And that's when you start to learn the business of the game and, you know, it's just part of the process, and that's pretty much when it clicked.
I'm like, "Okay, well, I need to make kicks 'cause if I'm not, I'm either gonna get traded or I'm gonna get cut.
So something's gonna happen," so, but yeah.
How much does the contract and, and that confidence changes once you're here?
'Cause you come in last year- Yeah you get on that hot streak.
There's only that one field goal that was actually in the game that you guys got more, most decided.
Mm-hmm.
How much of the confidence for yourself changes now that you know all these things and you see how this team is treated?
Yeah.
I mean, confidence is high.
I mean, yeah, just like I said earlier, just being a part of this team and just how, like, family-orientated this team is and how the coaches get with you and the players on the team and how they support you here and the fan base and, you know, me obviously being Hispanic and a lot of fans are Hispanic here, just the love and the culture.
I mean, it's a, honestly, it's a dream come true and, you know, I'm blessed I was able to sign that contract and I feel like I'm a part of the 49ers fa- family now, for real, you know?
So.
Did you like that kid who was wearing your jersey, I think, when he was watching from home in the Yeah.
Yeah, he was.
That was a pretty cool moment, yeah.
Him and a couple guys.
That was cool.
All good, guys?
Thanks, Eddie.
Thank you, guys.
