Early Career
Chris Godwin started out playing football for the Cavaliers at Middletown High School in Delaware. He had a prolific High School career where he garnered multiple honors and awards such as Delaware Gatorade Player of the Year and All-conference at his positions of wide receiver/kick returner. Coming out of high school Godwin was rated as a four-star recruit and would commit to Penn State. Even as a freshman, Chris Godwin would be an important piece in the Nittany Lions offense and would play in all 13 games.
He stepped up his numbers in a big way during his sophomore season with five touchdowns and over 1,100 yards. While he had a great sophomore season the junior season yardage numbers dipped as defenses started using more double coverage. However Godwin’s touchdown numbers soared to career highs as he hit two digits with 11 touchdowns for his junior season. After the Rose Bowl loss to USC, Chris Godwin decided to forgo his senior year and declare for the 2017 NFL Draft.
NFL Beginnings
After testing well at the combine and putting up great tape at college, Godwin was chosen by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the third round of the 2017 NFL Draft. The 2017 Buccaneers were stacked with talent at receiver so Chris would have trouble receiving the lion’s share of targets in the Tampa Bay offense. He finished out his rookie year with an explosive game in week 17 against the Atlanta Falcons where he scored two touchdowns and had over 100 yards.
Godwin followed his solid rookie campaign up with increased numbers and more targets in his sophomore effort. He would finish the season with six more touchdowns than the year prior and 842 yards. He would continue to get better and better with Tom Brady coming into the fold at quarterback in 2020. Although he had a small stat line in Super Bowl LV, he was instrumental in getting the Buccaneers past the playoffs and into the Super Bowl.
Injuries and the Ed Block Courage Award
Late in the 2021 NFL season Chris Godwin would tear his ACL and sprain his MCL in a December matchup against the New Orleans Saints. His immediate reaction after the injury was wondering when he could go back in the game. His competitive spirit and dedication to his teammates did not go unnoticed. After going through nine months of continuous physical rehab Godwin was back to running routes and cutting in drills. Godwin would take his rehab day by day and find solace in the small victories. His teammates and coaches recognized his hard work and grit by voting him as the 2022 Ed Block Courage Award Recipient for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.