Robbie Gould sounds as if he prefers a return to Chicago, where he and his family call home, if he had a say in where he plays. But San Francisco used the franchise tag on him, and despite the kicker having requested a trade, the 49ers have shown no inclination to move him.
“It’s a complicated situation,” Gould told NBCChicago.com this week, via a transcript from NBCBayArea.com. “The way I’ve kind of approached it is, I want to spend time with my family. And I let my agent handle it, and if anything comes up that I have to make a decision or be in the know, he’ll call me and let me know. But right now there’s nothing to really know, and I’m just enjoying being home and being in Chicago.
“I’m at a point in my career where my family is what’s going to dictate the decisions that I make.”
Gould, 36, hosted his Celebrity Golf Invitational to raise funds for Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago. His ties to the area remain strong, having spent 11 years with the Bears, and he spent most of last season away from his wife and three young boys.
“This city’s been incredible,” Gould said. “No matter where I’ve gone, no matter where I’ve lived, no matter where I’ve played, Chicago has always been home.”
The Bears released him before the start of the 2016 regular season. Their kicking situation has been a mess ever since.
Gould, meanwhile, has made 82 of 85 field goals the past three seasons, in 10 games with the Giants in 2016 and 32 games with the 49ers over the past two seasons. So it’s no wonder the 49ers want to retain Gould.
But Gould has yet to sign the one-year, $4.971 million tender, and he remained away from the 49ers during the offseason program. So, at this point, who knows what Gould’s immediate future holds?