The San Francisco 49ers are amid an exciting franchise period as the 2024-25 season approaches. One former kicker who helped the 49ers maintain success for several years was ex-Chicago Bears veteran Robbie Gould. Gould played his last year in San Francisco in 2022, and he revealed a truth bomb on what he described as a “fractured” relationship with team leaders.
Gould reportedly wanted to stay with the 49ers before his final year, but they drafted former Michigan Wolverine Jake Moody instead. Gould reflected on his negotiations with San Francisco at the time, bringing him to a hard realization.
“Could I have gone back to San Francisco? Probably not,” Gould told Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area at the 2024 American Century Championship celebrity golf tournament in Lake Tahoe. “I think the relationship there from the executives to me was definitely fractured. Not in a poor way. I just think negotiations and how those things operated, they take a toll on your relationships.
“I’ll be forever thankful for what they did for my family, very thankful for the York family for what they did for six years, giving me an opportunity to have success and play in NFC Championships and Super Bowls.”
Robbie Gould made 161 of his 184 regular-season field-goal attempts and 221 of 230 extra-point attempts while with the 49ers, as noted by NBC Sports. He was perfect in nine postseason games with the team, going 21-of-21 on field-goal attempts and 19-of-19 on extra-point attempts.
The Bears-turned-49ers kicker retired from the NFL in December of 2023 after two years without a kicking opportunity.
49ers look to stay strong after Robbie Gould era
San Francisco looks to make a strong 2024-25 run after their Super Bowl 58 run. The 49ers faced the Kansas City Chiefs in the title game but lost 25-22. Fortunately, San Francisco has stout contributors returning.
2023-24 MVP candidates Brock Purdy and Christian McCaffrey are preparing to lead the 49ers to another top showing in the NFC.
McCaffrey finished 2023-24 with a career-high 1,459 rushing yards, which ranked him first in the league. In addition, he amassed 14 touchdowns on 272 carries. His ability to run with power, shake off defenders, and be a go-to receiving weapon allowed SF’s offense to thrive.
McCaffrey came up huge in the 49ers’ first two postseason matchups against the Green Bay Packers and Detroit Lions. In both games, San Francisco found themselves down early, but McCaffrey came alive and helped the team rally. He ended the Packers matchup with 98 yards and two touchdowns. Then, he spearheaded a storming comeback against Detroit, which resulted in him totaling 90 yards and another two TDs.
McCaffrey’s running mate was equally as impressive.
Like McCaffrey, Brock Purdy had a career year in 2023-24. He threw for 4,280 yards, 31 TDs, and boasted a QBR of 72.8, all of which were top-five NFL rankings. Several fans and analysts doubted Purdy’s ability to command the offense, but he proved he has what it takes to lead the 49ers to greater heights.
It will be interesting to see how San Francisco performs as they gear up for what should be another promising season.
