If you are willing to read between the lines, then the dream of Robbie Gould’s return still has a flicker of hope.

In an interview with NBC Sports Chicago, Robbie Gould spoke out as to why he hasn’t signed the Franchise tag tender offer that was handed down by the San Francisco 49ers earlier in the offseason. And much like Gould has already said, his family situation is going to dictate where he plays next.

“Obviously, it’s a complicated situation,” Gould told NBC Sports Chicago. “The way I’ve approached it is I want to spend time with my family and I’ll let my agent handle it. And if anything comes up that I gotta make a decision or be in the know, then he’ll call me and let me know.”

Your browser does not support iframes.

Gould isn’t going to come out and just say it, but it’s increasingly evident that the Bears’ all-time leading scorer remains intent on angling for a return trip to Chicago. At minimum, the idea was something that crossed his mind earlier in the offseason.

And, I mean, just look at what he said when asked about Chicago over the weekend: “This city’s been incredible,” Gould told NBC Sports Chicago. “No matter where I’ve gone, no matter where I’ve lived, no matter where I’ve played, Chicago has always been home.”

Unfortunately for Gould, the 49ers hold all the cards here. San Francisco insists it will not honor Gould’s request for a trade because they would like to sign Gould to an extension, but that seems like it has been off the table since the Niners explored the possibility of signing Stephen Gostkowski (who has since re-signed with the New England Patriots). And because petty wars can go both ways, Gould didn’t show up for 49ers OTAs or the team’s mandatory minicamp.

A complicated situation, indeed.

Gould maintains his agent will continue to handle things while Gould focuses on his family during the offseason, while also mixing in kicking workouts to keep his leg fresh. Meanwhile, I imagine the Bears will continue to monitor what’s happening with the 49ers kickers as the offseason rolls on. Chicago still doesn’t have a kicker, but it does have ample cap room that would allow for the addition of a kicker who would come with a sizable cap-hit. It’s just that no one is sure if that kicker will become available.