Emma: Consistency Has Kept Robbie Gould's Career Thriving
By Chris Emma--
BOURBONNAIS, Ill. (CBS) -- Looking back now, they were touches of fate, happenings that took Robbie Gould from standout soccer player in central Pennsylvania to veteran kicker for the Chicago Bears.
Had it not been for a letter of recommendation from his high school principal to the late Joe Paterno, perhaps Gould's football career wouldn't have taken off at Penn State. And if the New England Patriots hadn't cut Gould in 2005 -- instead holding on to a guy he looked up to, Adam Vinatieri -- then he surely wouldn't have become one of the NFL's most accurate kickers of all time (he's currently third).
A path of twists and turns for Gould gave way to continuity in Chicago, where he's become the king of consistency.
"Being able to play for one organization has been great," Gould said. "It's a lot of fun."
It's a bit ironic that a man who plays one of the least appreciated positions in football deserves some of the greatest admiration, but Gould has surely earned it.
Gould, now 33, is entering his 11th season with the Bears, having played 150 regular-season games and kicked 243 field goals. He's hit 85.6 percent of his field goals, booted the game-winner in a playoff game and put one through the uprights in Super Bowl XLI, as a rookie just months after latching on following being cut by the Patriots.
It's all come as a Chicago Bear.
"Any time you don't have to move around a bunch, you get a place you really like and really enjoy -- it's such a great city and great organization -- it becomes fun every year," Gould said.
Three head coaches, countless coordinators and many more teammates have came and passed since Gould first suited up in a Bears uniform. There have been greats like Brian Urlacher and Charles Tillman, triumphant wins along the way, but the consistency of Gould remains a constant.
Gould provides leadership by example, keeping a soft-spoken tone but bringing friendship to teammates that makes a long season feel easy. He's one of those personalities each team needs in the locker room.
Longevity isn't easy for kickers, who often are given short leashes and bounce between different teams. Gould hasn't endured a slump by any means. A down season in 2014 -- 9-for-12 on field goals in 12 games before an injury cut his season short -- was largely due to the Bears fighting off large deficits and underachiving.
Three more seasons remain on Gould's contract in Chicago, and he hopes to continue a long, prosperous NFL career. In fact, Gould hopes to follow down the same path as his close friend, Patrick Mannelly, who played 16 years and a franchise-record 245 games with the Bears.
"I'd like to be a career Bear," Gould said. "Unfortunately, some of that's not in your control. You can control the things that you can control, and that's doing your job. Hopefully, I'll retire a Bear."
It took some strange fortunes for Gould to become the Bears' greatest kicker of all time, but he's been consistent like that blue helmet he dons on Sundays in Chicago. It's been quite the journey.
Follow Chris on Twitter @CEmma670.