Robbie Gould supports Bears decision to leave Soldier Field

Former Chicago Bears player Robbie Gould, who currently plays for the San Francisco 49ers, supports the decision made by the Bears to move their home field from Soldier Field. It is reported that the Bears have agreed to buy a property in the Arlington Heights suburb and the 39-year-old player hopes the team will move to play next season's home match there.

First opened in 1924, Soldier Field is a multi-purpose stadium located on the Near South Side of Chicago, Illinois, and has served as the home of the Chicago Bears since 1971 with a capacity of 61,500, making it the smallest stadium in the NFL. Along with the Bears, Chicago Fire played its season home game on this field starting in 2020.

Moreover, Soldier Field has served as the home venue for major events, including the 1994 FIFA World Cup, the 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup, and multiple CONCACAF Gold Cup championships.

Gould comment on Bears decision

As a placekicker, Gould spent eleven MLB seasons, playing 87 games at Soldier Field before leaving. On ESPN's Waddle and Silvy Show Friday night, Gould said that although he had been away since his departure in 2015, he still remembered how he played there. He stated that Soldier Field was in the five worst outdoor stadiums when they played the Bears game in winter.

“You’re talking about one of the top 5 places, probably the worst to play in the NFL. Worst," he said.

"The field, the conditions, I think a lot of just comes down to the wind when the field slows down in the winter, it’s snow, it’s sleet, it’s chewed up because it’s a couple games in a row. When I was younger, I didn't realize that everyone else was slowing down too."

However, Gould said that he loved the match’s atmosphere, especially when the Bears won, even though he also stated that he hated how hard he played there during winter. In addition, he said he was proud of what he accomplished on the field as a Bears player.

When the Bears were backed by fans to decide its move to the new stadium, Gould said he would give his full support. For the replacement, Gould said that a stadium building with a dome would give the chances for Bears players to perform better, especially the Placekicker. He expects Arlington Heights, which was recently acquired by Bears management, will be built as he expected.

“I do think that in the best interest of the fans, the best interest in the organization, this is what makes the most sense to be able to keep pace with the other teams that are starting to do it,” he said.

Playing for the Bears, Gould's field goal percentage was 85.4 percent from 87 games. He was also on the list of seven kickers that played more than fifty games in Chicago. Somehow, only Gould can get his kick accuracy above 76 percent.

Bears were Gould’s first NFL team before he played for one season in Giants and moved to 49ers in 2016 to play with Tom Brady until now. In the next season, Gould will be back to play at Soldier Field for one more time when the 49ers face the Bears on NFL opening day in September.