After 18 years in the NFL, former San Francisco 49ers kicker Robbie Gould announced his retirement on Thursday.

Gould, who also kicked for the Chicago Bears and New York Giants, spent six seasons with San Francisco from 2017 to 2022.

He converted 161 of his 184 field goal attempts (87.5%) for the 49ers and ends his career with an overall field goal percentage of 86.5%.

Gould made a series of clutch kicks during his time with the 49ers and was 29 for 29 on field goals across his postseason career. Writing in The Players' Tribune, he pointed one postseason field goal that stands out above any other in his career.

He wrote: "People often ask me if I have a favorite or most memorable kick, and it really is such a hard question to answer. So many of them have such significance to me from different points in my career. But if I have to pick, here it goes:

"January of 2022. Playoffs. Green Bay vs. San Fran. Lambeau Field. It’s 10–10. Ball on the right hash. Four seconds left on the clock. Jimmy G. had just taken the Niners offense 44 yards in nine plays against the top-seeded Packers. Deebo and Juszczyk had huge plays to give us a shot to win it from 45 and send San Francisco to the NFC Championship.

"The temperature was below zero, and it felt exactly the way it did when I played in the Windy City. Snow was falling, and the ground was soft. It wasn’t ideal, but none of that mattered; as a kicker, it was one of those moments I lived for every time I stepped on the field. And then….

"We nailed it right down the middle.  Just like that, the game was over.

"We didn’t win it all or even make it to the Super Bowl that season, but, man, that one felt good. I’ve always had a healthy respect for the Packers and that fierce Bears-Packers rivalry. More than anything, though, I just absolutely love Bears fans. So to hit a huge kick like that, on the big stage, to continue my streak of never missing a kick in the playoffs and to also make all of Chicago happy in the process by taking down its rival? It was the best of both worlds."

Gould's reasoning may be related to his time with Chicago, but it's likely he and the 49ers share his assessment of his best kick. Between the elements, what was at stake and the opponent, Gould has a strong case for delivering the most memorable kick in franchise history.

He clinched a victory at the most famous stadium in the sport in classic Green Bay conditions, helping the 49ers continue their playoff dominance over Aaron Rodgers after a vintage defensive performance.

For the vast majority of his time with the Niners, Gould was the epitome of reliability. No kick encapsulated that more than his Lambeau game-winner. 

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It’s a hugely impressive streak.