Robbie Gould plans to resign as the head football coach of Saint Viator High School after the 2026 season, ending a run that will stretch through one more full campaign before the school makes a change at the top of its program. Saint Viator High School in Arlington Heights announced the decision Wednesday.
The timing matters because Gould is not leaving immediately. He will remain on the sideline through the end of the 2026 season, giving Saint Viator football a clear runway before the leadership transition takes hold. That makes this less a sudden breakup than a scheduled handoff, one that was made public now and will still shape the program for the next two seasons.
The school said the 18-year NFL veteran made the decision to spend more time with his family. Ryan Aiello said in a statement that the school is grateful to Coach Gould for his leadership, dedication and commitment to student-athletes, and that it appreciates his contributions to Saint Viator football while respecting his choice to prioritize family and wishing him all the best. Gould is a former Chicago Bears kicker who spent 10 years with the Bears before finishing his career with the San Francisco 49ers.
The delayed exit leaves one open question that Saint Viator will have to answer on its own schedule: who follows Gould once the 2026 season ends. The school did not name a replacement in its announcement, and that means the next chapter for the program remains unwritten even as the departure date is already set. Gould coached at Rolling Meadows High School in 2024, and his move from player to coach has kept him tied to the game long after his NFL career ended.
For Saint Viator, the news is not just that a familiar name is stepping away. It is that one of the best-known kickers in Chicago Bears history will finish his coaching stint on a clock the school can already see.
