The Chicago Bears made several cuts to their roster for Saturday's deadline, but one more unexpected cut came Sunday as the team informed veteran kicker Robbie Gould he would be released.
The team announced the news late Sunday.
Gould tweeted a message to fans and the team just before midnight Sunday.
"Thank you to the Bears organization, teammates, coaches, and fans," he wrote. "Once a Bear, always a Bear. #beardown."
The team also tweeted a thank you to their longest-tenured member.
"Thanks for 11 great seasons in the blue & orange, Robbie," the post read.
Gould has been with the Bears since the 2005 season and is the team's all-time leading scorer with 1,207 points. With his departure, Jay Cutler now assumes the title of longest-tenured member of the team.
Gould has only missed seven games over the course of his career, and made 33 of 39 field goal attempts last season.
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He made three field goals against the Browns on Thursday but missed two extra point attempts.
Gould was the second-highest paid kicker in the NFL, and will cost the Bears $1.1 million in dead cap space when they make his release official.
The Bears do not have another kicker on the roster, leaving a question mark at the position as they gear up to face the Texans in Houston on Sunday.
