Robbie Gould Back With the Chicago Bears? It Almost Happened...And Could Still Happen

Back in 2016, Ryan Pace, the then-General Manager of the Bears, decided to cut ties with Gould in a bid to manage the cap space. However, it seems Pace's decision left him with a lingering sense of regret, so much so that he later made attempts to woo Gould back to the Windy City.

The remorse of Pace is hardly surprising considering the tumultuous time the Bears had with their kicking game following Gould's departure. The team cycled through five different kickers over five seasons, starting with Connor Barth in 2016, and followed by a succession of Mike Nugent (2017), Cody Parkey (2018), and Eddy Pineiro (2019), before Cairo Santos finally brought some stability to the position in 2020.

In a candid conversation on ESPN 1000's «Waddle & Silvy» show on May 10, Gould dropped the bombshell that Pace had made overtures to the San Francisco 49ers to negotiate a trade in 2019.

At the time, Gould was staying away from the Niners' offseason program due to a contract dispute. In the same breath, he expressed his belief that it was more likely John Fox, the former head coach, and his coaching staff, rather than Pace, who were the catalysts behind his 2016 exit from the Bears.

Gould recalled:

Robbie Gould's desire to make a triumphant return to Chicago has been no secret. As recently as March, he revealed to ESPN that he'd jump at the chance to rejoin the Bears if they approached him with a roster spot in the 2023 offseason. However, with Cairo Santos still on the books and an undrafted rookie poised to challenge him in training camp, is it in the Bears' interest to reconsider their former kicker? The future will tell.

As seen on - Bears Tried to Get Back Former Star Player in Trade, He Says