Robbie Gould and the San Francisco 49ers remain in a standoff regarding the kicker’s Potential with the franchise.
It doesn’t seem like Gould is ready to acquiesce quietly into the franchise tag and play out the year just yet.
“It is a complicated situation,” Gould told NBC Chicago. “The way I’ve kind of approached it’s, I want to spend time with my loved ones. And I allow my agent handle this, and if anything comes up that I have to make a determination or take the know, he will call me and let me know. But right now there’s nothing to actually understand, and I am just enjoying being home and being at Chicago.
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“I am at a stage in my career where my family is what is going to dictate the decisions that I make.”
Gould spent his first 11 seasons with the Bears and still makes his offseason home in Chicago. The 14-year veteran is expected to be a free agent after this year, and — given his own urge to play near his loved ones and the Bears’ struggles to pin down a trusted kicker — would be playing for the McCaskey family again were it not for the 49ers slapping him with the franchise tag. Gould has requested a transaction. The notion was refused by the 49ers.
The kicker skipped offseason workouts — since he has not signed the $4.971 million franchise tender, like Le’Veon Bell last season, he cannot be fined for missing mandatory minicamp.
The 36-year-old’s first comments on his own impasse with the 49ers came through the Robbie Gould Celebrity Golf Invitational in Medinah Country Club to raise funds for Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago. Gould’s ties to the city operate deep.
“This city’s been amazing,” Gould said, via NBC Chicago. “No matter where I have gone, regardless of where I’ve lived, no matter where I have playedChicago has always been home.”
Irrespective of whether the kicker prefers to play for his home group or not, the 49ers control his rights. His choices at this stage are to sign the label and play out the season, pull a Le’Veon Bell, or pray the Niners have a change of heart.
Considering that the Bears published Gould in 2016 following two seasons, the kicker has been one of the most precise booters in the NFL, nailing 82 of 85 area goals. It is not a surprise the Niners wish to keep him another season.
The 49ers and Gould have until July 15 to hit a long-term solution, but unless the veteran is playing an impressive negotiating match by pining to return to his home group, that deadline seems inclined to pass without movement.
