49ers kicker Eddy Piñeiro’s overtime game-winner against the Los Angeles Rams on Thursday didn’t just clang off the upright — it sparked one of the funniest postgame lines of the season.
Asked Wednesday about his 41-yard field goal that ricocheted off the left post before sliding through to beat the Rams, the 30-year-old kicker grinned and delivered a one-liner bound to live on in team lore.
“Yeah, I mean, I didn’t hit it the best, but I feel like it had a shot,” Piñeiro said. “And once it French kissed the pole — I’m going to be taking that pole to dinner soon.”
His overtime kick, even with the doink, extended his season-long streak to 11-for-11 on field goals and sealed the 49ers’ 26-23 win against the Rams.
For his efforts, Piñeiro was named NFC Special Teams Player of the Week — the fourth such honor of his career, and his first with San Francisco. He becomes just the third 49ers kicker in the past decade to win it, joining Robbie Gould and Jake Moody.
Not bad for someone the 49ers signed less than a month ago. Piñeiro, who previously kicked for the Chicago Bears, New York Jets and Carolina Panthers, has wasted no time becoming a reliable weapon for San Francisco.
His steady leg helped push the 49ers to 4-1, keeping them near the top of the NFC despite injuries piling up across the roster. And with his latest heroics, the newest Niner already is planning a first date with the uprights.
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