This may be the best trend in sports.
In the latest example of the philanthropic efforts of football fans, Chicago Bears faithful are donating to 49ers kicker Robbie Gould’s preferred charity for his game-winning kick that knocked the Packers out of the playoffs.
Gould, who kicked for Chicago from 2005 to 2015, made a 45-yard field goal as time expired on Saturday to lift San Francisco to the NFC title game. The connection as a former Bears kicker as well as the appreciation for his boot that sent Aaron Rodgers and the rest of the Packers home is why Chicago fans are donating to Cal’s Angels, a charity that raises awareness and money for childhood cancer research.
“Thank you to everyone who has donated to @CalsAngels after yesterdays win! Thank you for making a difference against childhood cancer,” Gould tweeted.
For the win!!! On to the next! pic.twitter.com/rd2oJ24fpi
— Robbie Gould (@RobbieGould09) January 23, 2022
The donations by Bears fans are similar to ones other fanbases have done in recent years, especially in Buffalo. This season, Bills faithful donated more than $20,000 to a visual impairment charity to tease the referees after Buffalo’s loss to Tampa Bay in December. In previous seasons, Bills fans have donated to the preferred charities of Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton and Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson.
The movement started on Reddit with a Bears fan posting for donations to Cal’s Angels in $9 amounts to thank Gould, who wears No. 9, for his kick.
“For the man who brought us all a small semblance of joy in this, a terrible year of football, o’ say we start a mass donation of $9 to Cal’s Angels, a local charity Robbie supported to help with pediatric cancer. What do y’all think?” the Redditor posted.
The post has more than 100 comments with fellow Bears fans saying they chipped in $9 and, of course, cracking jokes about the Packers. As of Monday afternoon, according to the original poster, the movement has raised more than $4,000.
