Robbie Gould Won't Return To Bears In 2019; 49ers Use Franchise Tag To Keep Kicker
SANTA CLARA, Calif. (CBS/AP) — Robbie Gould won't be kicking field goals for the Chicago Bears in 2019, after the 49ers used the franchise tag to keep the kicker in San Francisco for another season.
The move by the 49ers keeps Gould locked up for the 2019 season for a price tag of about $5 million.
At least among Bears fans, Gould had been seen as the most popular possible replacement for kicker Cody Parkey, who missed what would have been a game-winning field goal in the closing seconds of a 16-15 playoff loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.
The Bears plan to release Parkey this offseason.
In his two seasons with the 49ers, Gould has been the most accurate kicker in the NFL, and likely would have been a target to return to the Bears if he hit the open market.
Gould was at the Bears' playoff loss to the Eagles with his family, which has remained in the Chicago area even after the Bears released him following the 2015 season.
With few key projected free agents on their roster, the 49ers decided to use the tag on one of their most reliable players.
In two seasons with San Francisco, Gould has made 72 of 75 field goal attempts and 55 of 59 extra points. He leads the NFL in made field goals and field goal percentage over that span.
Gould missed only one of 33 field goal tries last season when he set the 49ers record for single-season accuracy. His career mark of 87.7 percent ranks second in NFL history to Baltimore's Justin Tucker among players with at least 100 made field goals.
Gould converted more than 85 percent of his field goals and missed just four of his 383 extra points as a member of the Bears from 2005-15. He amassed 1,207 points before general manager Ryan Pace and former coach John Fox let him go just before the start of the 2016 season.
In the three years since, he has combined to make 82 of 85 field goals for the New York Giants and San Francisco 49ers. Chicago kickers, by comparison, are 57 of 75 in that span.
(© Copyright 2019 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)