Kicker falling short of standard
49ers’ Gould doesn’t blame long snappers
Robbie Gould was historically good the past two seasons.
And now he’s never been worse.
Just ask the 49ers kicker, one of the most accurate in NFL history, a 36yearold who was getting more automatic with age — until this season started.
“This,” Gould said, “is by far the worst I’ve ever kicked.”
Indeed, Gould missed three field goal attempts in a 313 win over the Browns on Monday and is 7for12 this season.
Three misses in one game? Gould entered 2019 with three missed kicks in his past 45 games dating to 2015, making 89 of 92 in that stretch. Gould, who began the season ranked second in NFL history in field goal percentage, ranks 30th in the league this season and has slipped to fifth on the alltime list.
Why has Mr. Reliable been misfiring? This week, Gould declined to point to the most obvious reason for his inaccuracy: The 49ers have used three long snappers in their 40 start.
On Monday, with Garrison Sanborn making his longsnapping debut with the team, Gould came up short on a 52yard attempt that was preceded by a low snap. Gould missed kicks of 57 and 39 yards in the season’s first two games with long snapper Colin Holba, who was waived by the 49ers and replaced by Jon Condo, who retired after playing one game with the team.
“Those guys are great,” Gould said. “The guys they’ve brought in here — they’ve been really good. It’s not easy to come in and snap on a short week and have a few reps. You probably have like 12 reps before you go out there and play, so those guys have come in and done a great job
“I just haven’t done my job and, obviously, I have to do that to help the team win. I’m just lucky that the errors that I’ve made over the last few weeks haven’t cost us a game.”
The 49ers have cycled through long snappers because Kyle Nelson, who has manned the position since 2014, is serving a 10game suspension for performanceenhancing substances that began last year. Nelson will be eligible to return when the 49ers host the Panthers on Oct. 27.
On Monday, Gould also pushed a 47yard attempt right (“I didn’t play the first one where I would have liked to play it”) and his 32yard attempt was blocked (“I was way too slow”). His explanation for his short 52yard try that included a poor snap: “I’ve got to line up faster to help Garrison out.”
It can’t be a coincidence that the laundry list of long snappers has coincided with Gould — who never had more than six misses in any of his first 14 seasons — missing five kicks in four games.
However, head coach Kyle Shanahan noted that Sanborn’s snaps on two of Gould’s misses Monday were accurate.
“I know I can do it,” Gould said. “It’s not an issue of whether I can do it or not. I’ve got to go out and do it now.”
Gould had done it so well since signing with the 49ers in 2017 that he earned a fouryear, $19 million contract in July with $10.5 million guaranteed. He’s the NFL’s second highestpaid kicker because he made 72 of 75 kicks from 20172018, the most accurate twoseason stretch in NFL history by a kicker with at least 50 attempts.
Gould owns the franchise record for consecutive field goals made (33) and also has the thirdlongest streak (25).
“Everyone has a job to do, and I just have to step up to the table and do my job,” Gould said. “I haven’t been doing that, obviously, as of late. But as disappointing as it is, I know I’ve been on streaks where I’ve made 30 in a row … so my confidence isn’t shook. I’m not really worried about anything, I just have to go out, find a little bit better rhythm and tempo and just trust what I’ve done the last 15 years.”
Gould, who also has a new holder, rookie punter Mitch Wishnowsky, didn’t participate in the offseason program while he declined to sign his franchise tender and requested a trade. The impasse ended when he signed his contract on July 15 and reported on time to training camp.
However, he’s since struggled during the 49ers’ best start since 1990. He makes no excuses for his misses and takes no solace that none have come in a crucial situation.
“There is no saving grace,” Gould said. “… In kicking, it’s black or white. You either make it or miss it. It’s not like you can punt a ball and it goes 30 yards and it rolls 20. I’ve just got to start making kicks. That’s the bottom line.”