Former Chicago Bears kicker Robbie Gould became a fan favorite in his 11 seasons with the team, playing for the Bears from 2005 until 2015.
Gould also spent a year with the New York Giants and six seasons with the San Francisco 49ers before officially announcing his retirement from the NFL in December of 2023.
Now that his playing days are over, the former kicker, who has been outspoken about his love of the city of Chicago and the franchise for years, says he’d love to return to the organization in a different capacity.
“I would like to be an ambassador for the Chicago Bears,” Gould told CHGO Sports on February 6. “I haven’t met (team president) Kevin Warren — frankly, I haven’t talked to the McCaskey family since retirement, you know, there’s still a piece of this in transition.”
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Gould had good relationships with Bears owner Virginia Halas McCaskey and her son George McCaskey, who serves as team chairman, during his tenure with the team.
“I think for me, I’ve always had a sweet spot in my heart for the city of Chicago, I’ve always had a sweet spot in my heart for the McCaskey family,” Gould told CHGO Sports. “A lot of my memories as a player — for 11 years I was there — and I think, you know, if I had my crystal ball, I would love to go back there and be an ambassador for the team.”
An undrafted free agent out of Penn State, Gould caught on with the Bears shortly after the 2005 season began. He remains the Bears’ all-time leading scorer with 1,207 points. He hit 85.4% of his field goal tries and 99.0% of his extra-point attempts while with the team.
“He’s just one of those great NFL success stories,” former Bears long snapper Patrick Mannelly, who played with Gould for nine seasons, said about the former kicker, per the Bears’ official website. “To me, obviously he had the talent, but Robbie was one of the hardest working teammates I’ve ever been around all the years I was with the Bears. And I think him cultivating that talent with his hard work turned it into an 18-year career that’s potentially a Hall of Fame career.”
What Would Robbie Gould’s Role Be as Bears’ Ambassador?
BREAKING: According to @PlayersTribune, former #Bears kicker Robbie Gould has announced his retirement from the NFL.
Thanks for all the great memories in Chicago, Robbie! Once a Bear, always a Bear.
🐻⬇️
Generally, NFL ambassadors are former players who work with current athletes on everything from transitioning into the league to on-field development to teaching players how to be fiscally responsible before and after their playing days.
Ambassadors also do quite a bit of work in a community, and considering how popular he remains in and around Chicago, it seems like a role Gould would excel in.
“From start to finish, I loved everything about my time in Chicago,” Gould wrote in his retirement announcement in the Player’s Tribune. “It was the best football home imaginable. We had some deep playoff runs, and we made a ton of memories. The McCaskey family gave me the opportunity to live out my childhood dream, and it was an honor to play for them.”
Now, it looks as if he’d like to continue with a new career in Chicago. Your move, George McCaskey.
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Retired Bears Legend Says He Wants New Role With the Team