Getty Robbie Gould kicking for the San Francisco 49ers.
Fresh off the backs of Trent Williams and Tashaun Gipson declaring that they are thinking about retirement, the San Francisco 49ers have one impending free agent that they don’t have to worry about hanging up his cleats any time soon in Robbie Gould, the 40-year-old placekicker who is about to enter his 19th professional season.
“I’m nowhere near retiring,” Gould said via NBC Sports Bay Area. “I got a lot left to do from a career perspective – No. 1 being winning a Super Bowl.”
“And, two, I’m pretty close to a lot of milestones I think would be pretty neat to be able to accomplish.”
Gould is correct, he’s closing in on 20 professional seasons, a decade in San Francisco, and with Tom Brady officially retired, the Penn State product is the second-oldest player in the NFL behind punter Andy Lee. Where Gould will play in 2023, however, is far from guaranteed, as he’s set to become a free agent come March. Fortunately, Gould isn’t too concerned about his contract status, as he’s been here before.
“I’ve been franchise-tagged three times and never once have I played under a franchise tag,” Gould said. “I’ve always been able to get a deal done. Sometimes it takes longer than others.”
“If that’s what happens, we’ll see what happens. I don’t think that’s going to be the case this time around, but we’ll take that in stride whenever that happens.”
Will John Lynch prioritize Gould in free agency? Or will the GM instead prioritize adding a kicker in free agency who is cost controlled on a longer-term contract? Either way, Gould understands it’s a business and will treat it like one.
“It’s a business,” Gould said. “There are a lot of puzzle pieces that teams have to figure out.”
“At the end of the day, it’s all about dollars and cents, and it’s about them having to make decisions that are best for the organization.”
Kyle Shanahan is a Massive Fan of Robbie Gould
Speaking with reporters ahead of the Dallas game, Kyle Shanahan complemented Gould for being so darn consistent with his leg, calling the 40-year-old a “generational kicker.”
“He’s been one of the best kickers of our generation,” Shanahan said via NBC Sports Bay Area. “He’s been extremely consistent. You see how long he’s been doing it. And when it comes to the playoffs, that’s the most important thing.”
“And I feel like he’s always going to make it, regardless of what game it is. That’s how he’s given us that feeling in these six years. And I guess it makes sense that I even feel stronger in the playoffs about it.”
Facing off against Brett Maher, a kicker who connected on just one field goal in the playoffs, having a proven product like Gould who can hit field goals and point after attempts consistently is worth his weight in, well, gold.
Robbie Gould has a Special Place in San Francisco 49ers History
Though Gould has only been a member of the 49ers since 2017, the Penn State product already ranks fourth in franchise history in points scored at 704, the third-highest marks by a kicker behind Ray Wersching and Tommy Davis.
In the grand scheme of NFL history, Gould ranks 10th in overall points scored, and has the most points of any active player, with just one other kicker, Mason Crosby, on the list.