Sports
Chicago Bears Release Robbie Gould
All-time points leader for the Chicago Bears, kicker Robbie Gould, kicked off the team in final cutdown.
CHICAGO, IL — The "hard decision" to cut Chicago Bears kicker Robbie Gould, an 11-season veteran and the franchise's all-time points leader, came down to this for General Manager Ryan Pace and Head Coach John Fox — someone "better" was available.
Gould, 34, a fan-favorite, learned Sunday night in person from Pace and Fox, according to Chicago Sun-Times and Tribune reports. He'll be replaced by Connor Barth, 30, who was cut by the New Orleans Saints.
“Every decision we make is about improving our team,” Pace said at a Monday press conference. “These are all carefully discussed. This decisions never just happen on a whim. But when a player becomes available that we feel good about, we have to consider it.
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"And ultimately then sometimes we have to make the hard decision."
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An undrafted Penn State kicker, Gould signed with the Bears in October 2005 after being dropped by the New England Patriots and Baltimore Ravens. Gould was working a job in construction when the call came from the Bears. He made the Pro Bowl in the 2006 season. He signed a contract in 2008 that made him the NFL's highest paid kicker, and would go on to set the Bears franchise record for most field goals and most points scored.
Gould broke the points record in week five of the 2015 season; he finishes his career in Chicago with 1,207 points. He's the most accurate placekicker in Chicago Bears history (which dates back to 1920) with an 85.4 percent completion rate, putting him in the top 10 of all kickers in NFL history.
Last season, Gould kicked 33 field goals, the most for a Bears kicker in a single season. That's because the offense had a hard time getting into the end zone. Gould missed two game-winning field goals last year, however. He missed two extra-point attempts in this preseason.
Gould holds club records for:
- field goals made: 276
- field goals made of 50 yards or more: 23
- longest field goal made: 58 yards in 2013
The @Suntimes cover, featuring Robbie Gould, whom the #Bears released Sunday. pic.twitter.com/bf0VxYa34f
— Chicago Sun-Times (@Suntimes) September 5, 2016
Pace: "I want to emphasize the respect we have for Robbie Gould and what he's done for this franchise."
— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) September 5, 2016
#Bears GM Ryan Pace said there was not an effort to trade Robbie Gould, and that might have been difficult considering the contract.
— Brad Biggs (@BradBiggs) September 5, 2016
Robbie Gould (debuted 10/9/05) was 3rd-longest tenured active Chi athlete. New top 5: 1. Keith 1. Seabrook 3. Kane 4. Toews 5. Hjalmarsson
— Danny Ecker (@DannyEcker) September 5, 2016
Hell of a run, @RobbieGould09!! Did your job well for many years! #Respect
— Lance Briggs (@LanceBriggs) September 5, 2016
Thank you to the Bears organization, teammates, coaches, and fans. Once a Bear, always a Bear. #beardown pic.twitter.com/t8Nd81F8U1
— Robbie Gould (@RobbieGould09) September 5, 2016
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