Robbie Gould: Soldier Field is one of the worst places to play

Robbie Gould did pretty good at Soldier Field

Former Chicago Bears kicker Robbie Gould had a pretty good career in the windy city. Gould’s field goal percentage was 85.4 with the Bears. But the All-Pro kicker admitted the conditions at Soldier Field weren’t the best.

As a guest on ESPN 1000’s Waddle and Silvy Show, Gould suggested the Bears’ move to Arlington Heights wouldn’t be a bad move for the franchise and its players.

“Listen it’ll be a sad day when it does move to Arlington Heights but I do think that in the best interest of the fans, the best interest of 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,” Gould said.

Gould noted the economics for the Bears’ leaving make sense for the Bears. “Now the way that the rules…are built, these are things that organizations have to do in order to raise the salary cap. Which means you get better players,” Gould said. “You can get a bigger number that can spread out and get more faces. More revenue for the players.”

Gould mentioned that it’ll be a good move for fans traveling to Arlington Heights. When stadiums move to the suburbs, food and other entertainment follow. It’ll be the best opportunity for the Chicagoland area to host a big sporting event like the Super Bowl. The overall capacity for Soldier Field will still be smaller than modern NFL stadiums with a dome added, he said.

Gould also mentioned Soldier Field isn’t an easy place for payers to play.

Former Chicago Bears kicker Robbie Gould said on ESPN 1000′s Waddle and Silvy Show that Soldier Field is the top 5 worst places to play in because of the field and the conditions.

— Daniel Greenberg (@ChiSportUpdates) July 15, 2022

Robbie Gould would know about the conditions

As a field goal kicker, Robbie Gould would know about the conditions better than most. He had to deal with a terribly kept field and wind in order to become the Bears’ all-time leading scorer.

The prospect of the Bears getting to host a Super Bowl or other big-time sporting events makes the move easier to digest. But more importantly, increased revenues would make the Bears more competitive. And that’s the best reason for the Bears to leave Chicago.