49ers kicker Robbie Gould has been playing in the NFL for nearly two decades, so when he speaks, everyone listens.
Gould, now 37 years of age, has been one of the most consistent kickers in the league since entering the league in 2005. He’s a student of the game, and is one of the most cerebral special-teamers out there.
And apparently, he’s already been looking into how playing in empty stadiums will impact his game.
It’s been discussed at length how playing without fans in the stands will affect players’ psyche, and how it could help ease the pressure a bit for players. But Gould recently shared an outside-the-box take, about how fan-less stadiums will impact the elements — specifically, wind.
“When you do your game planning for the week, you usually watch a lot of the kicks from the stadium specifically so you can figure out on what end how the ball’s moving, how’s it gonna look,” Gould said, via NBC Sports Bay Area. “I think this year, stadiums will definitely be different from a wind perspective, because the fans usually in most stadiums will knock down the wind. . . . Also you’re going to have to watch film on these game when you get a couple games into the season.
“I think the biggest part for us is just going out and getting a good game plan in the pregame. Even if it’s different on film, just go with what we’re feeling that day. But at least we have a feeling of what that might look like.”
That’s an interesting take, and we believe other kickers are already taking note of it. In fact, we’re surprised that Gould even went public with it, allowing his competition to take note.
