Skyy Moore's Special Teams Struggles Follow Him to 49ers After Chiefs’ Decision to Move On
The Kansas City Chiefs ultimately punted on their second-round investment from the 2022 NFL Draft, wide receiver Skyy Moore, by trading him off to the San Francisco 49ers to help them resolve what was an awfully concerning shortage at the position.
Moore wasn't going to be a massive fix for the Niners, and head coach Kyle Shanahan's wide receiver room eventually improved on the eve of the regular season, namely when Jauan Jennings returned from a calf injury.
But, at least the former Western Michigan standout might be able to offer some help on a revamped special teams group.
Moore had been a returner early in his NFL career upon joining K.C., so one figured San Francisco might give him an opportunity to serve in that capacity after opting not to keep its seventh-round draft investment from last April, wide receiver Junior Bergen, on the 53-man roster.
Unfortunately, there's a reason why Kansas City didn't retain the receiver in that capacity either.
Skyy Moore gives major special teams concern to 49ers in 1st game of season
The 49ers opened up their 2025 campaign on the road against the Seattle Seahawks, and one couldn't help but wonder if special teams would be a key X-factor, especially after the Niners brought in coordinator Brant Boyer during the offseason.
In the second quarter, in what was an otherwise normal punt-return attempt, Moore muffed it off to his right.
Fortunately, the first-year San Francisco specialist was able to recover before being pushed out a bounds, but it's an ominous start to his 49ers career in this regard, as shared by NBC Sports Bay Area's Matt Maiocco:
As Maiocco pointed out, Moore was benched by the Chiefs after three muffed punts, and now the receiver's first attempt with the Niners fell into the same category.
Perhaps Moore ends up having better luck moving forward, although it'll be interesting to see if he winds up continuing in this capacity for the long haul.
Packers Star Xavier McKinney Unfazed by Controversial Taunting Flag Against Lions
Early in the second quarter of Sunday’s showdown with the Lions in Green Bay, Packers star safety Xavier McKinney did something so many players in the history of the league have done before him. He blocked an opponent to the ground, and subsequently stood over him.
The opponent was Kalif Raymond, and neither he nor McKinney was involved in the play, which saw Kiesean Nixon push lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs out of bounds. But as Raymond got up to engage in a minor confrontation with McKinney, something odd happened. A flag came in and McKinney was whistled for a 15-yard penalty on a pretty innocuous play.
The play was was unusual to say the least, and met with much disdain by fans on social media. but it is part of the new “respect for opponents” emphasis the league has enacted this season. It didn’t hurt the Packers in their 27-13 drubbing of the Lions, but it could have.
Xavier McKinney ‘Probably’ Did Taunt
McKinney admitted after the game that he did stand over Raymond, and did not seem too concerned about it. The Lions ended up with a field goal on the drive.
“I probably did,” McKinney said when asked about standing over Raymond. “But hey, it is what it is. I had to set the tone not just for our team but for our defense of how we want to play. I’ll take the flag, I’ll live with it, it’s all right.”
LaFleur was livid with the officiating crew when the play unfolded. After the game, he was being diplomatic but clearly disagreed with the call. When he was first asked what he saw on the play, he shot back at a reporter, “What did you see?”
But he went on: “Worst case scenario, they should’ve been offsetting (penalties). But they saw it differently.”
Packers Known They Must Keep Composure
Still, the league has made plain its attempts to clean up unsportsmanlike behavior on the field, and even sent a memo to each team to hammer home the point last month. LaFleur said his team is aware of the point of emphasis.
“We’ll definitely address that again. We can’t do that,” LaFleur said. ‘We’ve got to be better than that. Football is an emotional game, and I understand. I love these guys getting excited about playing. There’s a lot of stuff that goes on on the field, but you’ve got to keep your composure and your poise, especially when you’re playing a really good football team.”
McKinney added: “Going forward, I’m going to toe the line. If I get a flag, I’ll learn from it, but I’m going to toe that line. Obviously, I’m a smart player so I understand when I can and can’t do it, but this type of game, I had to set the tone and that’s just what it was. And we’ll live with it.”
