49ers get kick out of Gould’s accuracy
Tight end George Kittle is unquestionably the 49ers’ best draft pick since general manager John Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan were hired last year.
Their best free-agent signing? That’s also a no-brainer: Robbie Gould.
Some might dismiss Gould from the list because he’s a placekicker, but few players in the NFL — let alone on the 49ers — have performed their job better than Gould has since arriving in Santa Clara in 2017.
Consider: Gould has made 68 of 71 field-goal tries the past two seasons, making all six attempts from 50-plus yards, and his 95.8 conversion percentage is the best in the NFL over that span.
On Tuesday, Gould, who ranks second in NFL history in
field-goal percentage, could earn the second Pro Bowl berth of his 14-year career when the teams are announced for the game Jan. 27 in Orlando.
With the 49ers, Gould has set the franchise record for consecutive field-goal tries converted (33), a streak that ended when he missed a 45yard attempt in a loss against Arizona on Oct. 7. Gould’s response? He has made 19 straight attempts since then, which is the third-longest streak in team history.
He has been so automatic that Shanahan began celebrating — in his mind, at least — as Gould lined up for his 36-yard game-winner in a 26-23 overtime win against the Seahawks on Sunday. Gould’s kick capped a 4-for-4 performance and came in the rain at Levi’s Stadium, where the winds are especially tricky.
Said Shanahan of Gould’s kick in the elements: “I’m not thinking about him missing at all.”
Shanahan, in his 11 seasons as a play-caller, says only Gould and Atlanta’s Matt Bryant have provided peace of mind when it comes to crucial kicks. The others?
“There are some scars,” Shanahan said, smiling.
Given Shanahan’s belief in Gould, it seems likely he’ll be back in 2019 — but it’s not guaranteed.
Gould, 36, signed a two-year, $4 million contract last year, and his average annual salary ranks 18th among kickers, according to OverTheCap.com. In 2017, Gould didn’t have maximum negotiating power: He was coming off a season in which he was released by the Bears in a cost-saving move and spent 10 games with the Giants, for whom he made 10 of 10 kicks.
Gould now figures to command a salary commensurate with the NFL’s highest-compensated kickers. That list is topped by New England’s Stephen Gostkowski, who makes an average annual salary of $4.3 million.
On Sunday, Shanahan said he “definitely” wants Gould to return. Gould expressed a desire to come back, but said he’s presently focused on the final two games.
“I’m not really worried about that,” Gould said. “What’s it matter if I get signed today, 14 days from now, three months from now? It hasn’t really been much of a conversation, so for me, I’m just worried about playing football. If I get to come back here, that would be great. ...
“I make calculated decisions. I don’t make, ‘Oh, hey, I’m going to do this just because.’ So whatever happens down the road is going to happen. I’ve got two games left to play, and I’m looking to make every kick and win them.”
Gould, who is one of five team captains, recently was named the 49ers’ nominee for the Walter Payton Man of the Year award, which recognizes on-field performance and work in the community.
Gould said the honor is particularly special because he got to know Payton’s family during his 11-season tenure in Chicago, where Payton spent his career.
Last year, in his first game in Chicago as an opponent, Gould made five field goals in a 15-14 win over the Bears. After he made the 24-yard game-winner with four seconds left, Gould stared at the Bears’ bench before running toward midfield in celebration.
“That one,” Gould said at the time, “was pretty special for me.”
On Sunday, Gould will meet his old team again when the 49ers host Chicago in their home finale.
It could be Gould’s last game at Levi’s Stadium with the 49ers, who made their best free-agent decision of the past two seasons when they signed their near-perfect kicker last year. Witherspoon out: Cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon sustained a sprained posterior cruciate ligament in Sunday’s win and will be placed on injured reserve. Witherspoon will be replaced in the starting lineup by rookie third-round pick Tarvarius Moore.