Robbie Gould, a longtime NFL kicker, is retiring after an 18-year career that established him as one of the game’s
greatest in key situations.
Gould announced his retirement on The Player’s Tribune on Thursday. Gould was a free agent after the San
Francisco 49ers declined to re-sign him for a seventh season. Gould played eleven seasons with the Chicago Bears
and one with the New York Giants.
“At the end of the day, every organization I’ve played for has had a positive impact on my career, each one leaving its unique and significant mark on my journey,” he stated in an email. “And I could not be more thankful that’s how it played out for me.”
The 49ers paid tribute to Gould on one of
Gould, who turned 41 on Wednesday, went from being a walk-on at Penn State and an undrafted NFL player to
having a successful professional career. He was a first-team All-Pro in 2006, played in the Super Bowl with both
Chicago and San Francisco, and retired with the ninth most career field goals (447) and 10th most points (1,961) in
NFL history.
However, Gould was at his finest in the postseason, making all 29 field goals and 39 extra points he attempted, the
most made kicks in the playoffs without a miss in NFL history. No one else has made more than 23 shots without
missing.
One of Gould’s kicks is particularly notable. It happened during the 2021 divisional round, when he was with the
49ers and traveled to Green Bay to face the Packers, a longtime nemesis from his days with the Bears.
On a chilly day at historic Lambeau Field, Gould hit a 45-yard field goal on the final play to give San Francisco a 13-
10 victory.
