Robbie Gould, 10th all-time in scoring, retires from NFL - ESPN

Former San Francisco 49ers and Chicago Bears kicker Robbie Gould announced his retirement from the NFL on Thursday in a story written for The Players' Tribune.

«Now, although football has been a really great part of my life for the past 18 years, it is with the utmost regard and appreciation that I officially announce my retirement from the National Football League,» he wrote.

Gould, 40, ranks 10th in league history in points scored (1,961) and eighth in field goals made (447). His 86.4% career success rate on his field goal attempts is ninth all time.

Gould was one of the first free agents signed by the San Francisco 49ers after coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch took over in 2017. Since then, he remained one of the most consistent kickers in the NFL and became one of the league's all-time leading scorers.

«It didn't take more than two words to convince me that I wanted to play in that city,» he wrote. «Kyle. Shanahan. His personal talent as arguably the best coach in the business, combined with that offense? I had zero hesitation about wanting to be a part of that culture. San Francisco may not have had the best record at the time, but the thought of what that team could become from a long-term perspective was impressive to me.»

Last season, Gould was 27-of-32 on field goals and 50-of-51 on extra points on his way to moving into second place in field goals (161) and fourth in scoring (704) in Niners history.

He also was clutch in the playoffs throughout his career, making all 29 field goal attempts, including eight in 2022, and 39 PATs.

He wrote that his most memorable kick came in a playoff game at the Green Bay Packers in January 2022 when he kicked a 45-yard field goal with four seconds left to lift