Billy Cundiff will once again have an opportunity to shorten a Harbaugh’s Super Bowl run.
Earlier today, the San Francisco 49ers signed the former Ravens kicker to compete with their struggling kicker David Akers. Much like Cundiff has done before, Akers is following a Pro Bowl season with one that will potentially cost him his job.
At 69.0 percent, Akers has the second-worst kicking percentage in the NFL, missing 13 of his 42 attempts during the regular season.
The most surprising factor in Cundiff’s signing is that it appears 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh was swayed by his brother John’s misconstrued confidence in his former kicker. Upon his release from the Ravens, John Harbaugh praised Cundiff’s abilities and made the kicking competition between he and rookie Justin Tucker sound a lot closer than it actually was.
Cundiff had clearly not been able to mentally get over his failed 32-yard attempt during the AFC championship game.
Almost immediately after his release from Baltimore, Cundiff was signed by the Washington Redskins, but only lasted five weeks. He had missed five kicks during the five week span, thus prompting the Redskins to sign Kai Forbath, who missed only one field goal during the regular season.
The 49ers will evaluate Cundiff and Akers this week as they have earned a first-round bye as the second seed in the NFC. For 49ers fans, Cundiff is anything but a sign of relief to what has been a struggling kicking game all season long. No fan, player or coach should feel comfortable with either kicker attempting a field goal with the game on the line.
Need further proof? Ask anyone who needed to duck sitting 15 yards to the left of the goalpost in Foxboro last January. Clearly the 49ers have “Cundiffed” this personnel decision.
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