Robbie Gould Bows Out: A Fond Look Back at the Kick That Catapulted Bears to NFC Championship

Robbie Gould‘s story might be one of the craziest turnarounds in NFL history. After going undrafted and changing hands a few times, the kicker finally settled down with the Bears in 2005. And the rest, as they say, is history. By the time he left the team in 2015, he was their franchise leader in scoring.

Further eight years have passed, and the 41-year-old finally announced his retirement on X. In a blistering career spanning nearly 2 decades, it’s fair to say he has seen and done a lot. But the highlight of his career might come down to a crazy overtime field goal he scored in 2006, that sent the Bears into the NFC Championship game after 18 years. Let’s travel back in time to see it ourselves.

Back when Robbie saved the day

It was the 2006 postseason second-round game between the Bears and the Seahawks. The Bears had not made it to the championship game since 1988, and needed to win it to recover some of the past glory. In the game, newly signed Robbie Gould proved the savior for the Chicagoans. While trailing by 3 points, Gould kicked a 41-yard field goal near the end of the fourth quarter to make it level.

The score remained tied, and the game turned to overtime where the kicker came clutch again. To give the Bears an early lead, he attempted a career-best 49-yard field goal and succeeded. The entire Soldier Field in Chicago knew they were going to the championship game, but the bonus came when they took the win over the Saints to make it to the Super Bowl XLI. Against the Saints, it was a field goal galore from Gould who scored 1 in the first and 2 in the second quarter. The Saints never recovered from it.

Read More: Reports – Michigan Head Coach Jim Harbaugh Only ‘Interested’ to Join Chicago Bears Amid Christmas Deadline

Although the team lost their lone Super Bowl appearance of the decade to the Colts, Gould’s fairy tale was written by that time. However, it was not easy for the kicker to settle in the league, who faced 3 harsh rejections right at the beginning of his NFL career.

The never-give-up mentality of Robbie Gould

Gould’s story will always be a testament to a person’s determination. He was undrafted in the 2005 NFL draft and later signed as a free agent by Tom Brady‘s Patriots. The Patriots decided to release the kicker in the same preseason, and he signed with the Ravens only to be waived off three weeks later.

Right before the October end trade deadline, the Bears signed Gould. And his mentality, probably sharpened by the repetitive hammerings he faced, caught the management’s eyes. Other than his career-best 49-yard field goal vs. the Seahawks, he showed up to rescue the franchise countless times. To put his reliability into perspective, Gould remains the 9th most accurate and the 10th greatest NFL kicker of all time, statistically. He also never missed a single field goal or extra-point attempt in the postseason.

Not all heroes wear capes, and not all legends get drafted, either. Gould will always be a perfect example of that. Our best wishes are with him in his post-retirement life.

Watch This Story: Despite Hard-Hitting Serena Williams Admission, Jessica Pegula Takes Heart From Her and Coco Gauff’s Efforts to Follow in the Legend’s Footsteps