It’s been nearly eight years since the Chicago Bears said goodbye to kicker Robbie Gould, but if he were presented the opportunity to come back this offseason, he’s letting everyone know he would be all for it.
Gould, a free agent after spending the last six seasons with the San Francisco 49ers, joined ESPN 1000’s Waddle & Silvy show for the station’s 25th anniversary special on Friday afternoon at the House of Blues in Chicago. After reminiscing about Gould’s relationship with the station where he’s been a frequent guest and co-host, the conversation eventually turned to free agency and whether or not he would welcome a reunion with the Bears. He didn’t mince words.
“If Chicago called me and said ‘we want you back,’ would I do it? Absolutely,” Gould told the hosts, resulting in a round of applause from the live audience. He then praised the Bears and general manager Ryan Poles for their offseason up to this point, from trading the No. 1 overall pick to the signings of players like Tremaine Edmunds and T.J. Edwards, and how the team is coming together around Justin Fields before reiterating his desire to play again for his former team. “Yeah, I would love to come back and play for Chicago for sure.”
"If Chicago called and said 'we want you back,' would I do it? Absolutely."@RobbieGould09 on his free agency on @ESPN1000
— Brendan Sugrue (@BrendanSugrue) March 24, 2023
The all-time leading scorer in Bears history and fan-favorite player was with the team from 2006-2015 and converted 85.4% of his field goals during his tenure. He was released just prior to the 2016 season and spent one year with the New York Giants before winding up with the 49ers. Now he wants to kick closer to home and though he has a desire to end up with the Bears again, the cards are stacked against him.
The Bears still have Cairo Santos on the roster and Poles appears to be content with keeping him for another season. Santos has been the Bears kicker since 2020 and is entering the final year of his deal with a cap hit of $4.5 million this season. Santos converted 91.3% of his field goals in 2022, nearly seven percent higher than Gould (84.4%). Though Gould has been clutch, particularly in the postseason where he has yet to miss a field goal, it would be surprising to see the Bears move away from Santos at this time.
For now, Bears fans will be left dreaming of a reunion with Gould. At least the feeling is mutual for many of them.
Let’s make that call https://t.co/2XPiiQhwp4
— DJ 🧸 (@cottond13) March 24, 2023
Go get my guy https://t.co/VqcC3kYlzm
— Big Unc🖤 (@__KiloKeem) March 24, 2023
@ChicagoBears GET ON THE PHONES! https://t.co/uIUiy2lD9z
— Justo (@Young_Justo) March 24, 2023
@ChicagoBears you know what to do https://t.co/ZRt45xUPAo
— Audible Sports Cast (@AudibleSC) March 24, 2023
Bears! Fix your kicking problem! https://t.co/T2YiLWVtNM
— Devin Stone (@dstone9798) March 24, 2023
I mean nostalgia aside he really would be an upgrade at the kicker position and that’s no slight on Cairo… it actually makes a ton of sense if you could grab him for a two-year deal imagine Robbie comes back…it’s 2024 and the Bears win a Super Bowl on a Robbie Gould 55 yarder… https://t.co/RFGm2Hyqwd pic.twitter.com/TFnVvk6RB6
— Jonathan A Hand (@Jonathan_A_Hand) March 24, 2023
👀
Come on home, Robbie Gould! https://t.co/uu5hKk1ez7
— Erik Duerrwaechter (@EDuerrwaechter) March 24, 2023
