Robbie Gould contract: How much could decorated 49ers kicker pick up in free agency?
Robbie Gould has spent the last six NFL seasons as the kicker for the San Francisco 49ers. He helped them make a Super Bowl appearance while consistently being one of the most reliable kickers in the entire league.
His 84.46 successful conversion rate on-field goal attempts proves it, making him the eighth-most accurate kicker in NFL history.
Gould's solid run in San Francisco is apparently coming to an end after his contract with the 49ers expired at the conclusion of the 2022 NFL season. He reportedly claims he will test the NFL free agency market as he seeks a new team to play for in 2023.
Veteran kicker Robbie Gould said today that, as much as he enjoyed his last six seasons in San Francisco, he will test free agency later this month and be kicking elsewhere in 2023.
Robbie Gould's most recent contract extension with the 49ers was worth $11.6 million over the last two years. His $5.8 million in AAV ranked second, only trailing Baltimore Ravens superstar kicker Justin Tucker, who makes $6 million in AAV on his current contract.
Gould will likely be seeking a similarly valued deal during the 2023 NFL free-agency period.
Just two other kickers, including Jason Myers of the Seattle Seahawks and Chris Boswell of the Pittsburgh Steelers, make at least $5 million in AAV. Expect Gould to require at least $5 million himself on a short-term deal.
He's one of only three active NFL players, along with Jason Peters and Andy Lee, to be at least 40 years old during the 2023 NFL offseason. So, it's unlikely he will receive a long-term contract with any team.
Despite being among the oldest current NFL players, Robbie Gould told NBC Sports that he has no plans to retire in the near future.
"I’m nowhere near retiring. I got a lot left to do from a career perspective. Number one being winning a Super Bowl. And, two, I’m pretty close to a lot of milestones I think would be pretty neat to be able to accomplish."
#49ers K Robbie Gould, 40, set for unrestricted free agency:
"I’m nowhere near retiring. I got a lot left to do from a career perspective--No. 1 being winning a Super Bowl. And, two, I’m pretty close to a lot of milestones I think would be pretty neat to be able to accomplish."
Gould seems to be fully aware of his legacy as one of the greatest kickers of all time. He believes that continuing to play will help him climb the ranks even higher.
Robbie Gould is approaching the elite class of kickers from NFL history
Robbie Gould has successfully converted 447 field goal attempts during his NFL career, the eighth-most by any player ever. This includes 27 made during the 2022 NFL season with the 49ers. This means at his current pace, he can realistically expect to exceed 500 in the next two years if he continues playing football.
Only three kickers from NFL history have reached this epic milestone. Robbie Gould is seeking to become the fourth, joining Adam Vinatieri, Morten Anderson, and Gary Anderson. No player has ever reached 600, as Vinatieri fell just one short during his legendary career.