EXCLUSIVE VIDEO – The life of a kicker in the NFL is a lot of preparation, punctuated by a handful of extremely high-pressure performances. A kicker’s entire career may be defined by just a few kicks in potentially game winning situations, which can make or break their career reputation. Just ask Scott Norwood, who played in 108 games with a 72% lifetime FG percentage, but who is most remembered for one missed kick (which cost the Bills Super Bowl XXV).
Chicago Bears kicker Robbie Gould has proven he has the Right Stuff to make high pressure kicks, as he found out early in his career when he was asked to make a 49-yard game winner, in the playoffs in just his second season.
Prior to the 2005 NFL preseason, Gould was brought in by the New England Patriots for a tryout, even though they already had Adam Vinatieri on the roster. Vinatieri is a classic example of the kicker reputation phenomenon. He is widely regarded as the best clutch kicker in NFL history, which is warranted, but he is mostly remembered for 4 kicks – the game winning kicks in the final seconds of two Super Bowls (XXXVI and XXXVIII) and the game-tying and winning kicks in the 2002 AFC divisional playoff game, aka the Snow Bowl.
Gould didn’t have a real shot at replacing Vinatieri, and he was let go by the Patriots before the season. As the 2005 NFL season was starting, Gould was out of football and began working a job in construction. When the Bears’ kicker Doug Brien went down with an injury early in the year, Gould was brought in and the Bears signed him to a contract on October 8, 2005.
Once Gould was given his chance, he wasn’t about to give up the job. He finished the 2005 season with a 77 percent field goal percentage and the job was his.
The Bears were 11-5 his first partial year. In 2006, they improved to 13-3 and looked poised to make a deep playoff run. In their first playoff game, the Bears were tied at the end of regulation and went into overtime against the Seattle Seahawks. The Bears lined up for the 49-yard game winning field goal in overtime, which was the first step that sent the Bears on to the Super Bowl that season.
Gould recalls, “The biggest thrill in my career was that kick.”
“We hadn’t won a playoff game in Chicago in 11 years at that point.”
The 2006 Bears ultimately ran into Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts, but the 2006 Super Bowl appearance was one of the high points of the last 20 years for the proud Chicago franchise. And it was all enabled by Gould’s kick in overtime.
So far this season, Gould has been perfect. He is 6/6 for field goals, including 2 from beyond 40 yards, and 6/6 for extra points.
The Bears are struggling, and fell to 1-2 on losses to the New Orleans Saints and Green Bay Packers in back to back weeks. While it’s still very early in the season, the Bears have a tough division with the defending Super Bowl Champion Packers and the resurgent Lions both sitting at 3-0.
Although the Bears have their work cut out for them this season, at least they know that if they come down to a last second kick, they can rely on Gould. He’s been there before.
