Gould delivers winner in NFC playoff upset

GREEN BAY, WI – It was eerily quiet in Green Bay’s Lambeau Stadium as Saturday night’s NFL playoff game between the Packers and visiting San Francisco came to an end. But there was a small band of 49ers cheering, as were many Clinton County residents back in central Pennsylvania; this just after Clinton County native Robbie Gould kicked a game-winning field goal, sending his team over Green Bay to a startling upset by a 13-10 score.

For San Francisco it was an improbable second round playoff win, putting the 49ers into the Sunday, Jan. 30 NFC title game. For Gould it continued a remarkable run of playoff success. Already among the all-time NFL leaders in field goal percentage, Gould further burnished his playoff credentials, in a word, “perfect.” The Central Mountain High/Penn State grad is 20-for-20 in postseason field goals and 32-for-32 in extra points.

In the postgame news conference, Gould, now 39, said his goals are the NFL Hall of Fame and winning a Super Bowl; he took a major step toward both Saturday night in frigid Green Bay.

His game-winner met with an immediate outpouring of social media congratulatory messages from residents all across Clinton County where he is remembered as a polished athlete in track, basketball, soccer and football from his high school days.

Gould finished the win over Green Bay with two field goals and one extra point.

A periodic visitor to Clinton County, Gould was present in the football offseason last year as it was announced the Chestnut Grove sports complex under development in Castanea Township will be named the Robbie Gould Youth Sports Complex. Gould has pledged $200,000 towards the project and is involved in raising additional funds for the facility.