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Robbie Gould suffered a ruptured tendon (my lord) last season, and was promptly placed on the season-ending Injured Reserve list, missing the final three games of the year.
Olindo Mare was signed to a one-year deal, but there was no indication after 2012 that the team would be interested in bringing him back for another round.
Then, the landscape changed significantly... The Chicago Bears signed kicker Austin Signor to a three year contract last month, prompting some to wonder if Robbie would be able to make it back in time to compete.
It does appear, though, that Gould could be re-joining the team soon, as he is expected to be medically cleared to get back on the field and start kicking again.
"I'm excited about it, I really am," Gould said last month. "Competition is healthy, at every position, and it only makes all the players better. Hopefully I can learn a little bit from Austin, and he can learn a little bit from me. This is exactly what the Bears are supposed to do. All good organizations create competition. It's healthy. I'm looking forward to it. Competition brings out the best in everybody."
Robbie Gould will be 31 years old this season, which in theory should leave him with a few more years to kick the old pigskin around. He's ranks second all-time on the Bears scoring list, trailing Kevin Butler by a mere 214 points. A healthy Gould could knock that out in two seasons. But how healthy will he be... Stay tuned.
Speaking of guys who kick the ball around, Adam Podlesh is making some headlines this offseason, and for fantastic reasons. He, along with other Chicago Bears players, will be shaving their heads and raising money for a young man named Gavin Waterman, who is getting ready to undergo chemotherapy.
You can read all the details HERE, but suffice it to say, there's an entire Chicago Bears army rooting for Gavin and his family, and Windy City Gridiron is proud to be a supporter. Get your mouses to clicking HERE... Let's help this family and this brave young man face their challenges with a little more confidence.
"Adam's a great guy, said Jacob Waterman, Gavin's father. "We're really blessed to have him in our lives. He's been awesome getting things together and helping us out with the funds."
Of course, donations can be kept confidential, but as loud and proud as our Bears Nation is, feel free to sound off in the comments section if you made a donation. I'm sure it would mean the world to Gavin and his family.