The NFL is losing one of its great veteran kickers. After playing 18 seasons in the NFL for a couple of franchises, Robbie Gould announced his retirement.
Long-time NFL kicker Robbie Gould announces he’s retiring https://t.co/Y8crAX5kcF pic.twitter.com/Atw9MxOYxE
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) December 7, 2023
Kicker Robbie Gould Announces Retirement
Gould spent the majority of his career with the Chicago Bears. From 2005 to 2016 he was a staple in Chicago and was the kicker for them in Super Bowl XLI, a loss to the Indianapolis Colts. After spending one year with the Giants, he spent six seasons with the San Francisco 49ers and kicked in Super Bowl LIV, a loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. In his career, went 447/517 on field goals for an 86.5% and hit 97.5% of his extra points. He is one of the longest-tenured players appearing in 266 games. Among players to make their debuts in the 21st century, that ranks ninth.
Player Tribune Article
Gould wrote a long article in the Player’s Tribune chronicling his thoughts on his career. “All good things must come to an end,” Gould wrote. One fun nugget in the article was his favorite kick in his career. For him, it was the 2022 playoffs against Green Bay. With Green Bay being the number one overall seed, the 49ers went into Lambeau and had to score tied 10-10 late in the game. Gould hit the buzzer-beating field goal to send the 49ers to the next round.
Robbie Gould will be missed in the NFL. With so many teams struggling to find quality kickers, it is a reminder of how good a player like Gould was.