The Bucs’ 41-31 loss to the Ravens on Monday Night time Soccer was unhealthy sufficient when the story was a few second-quarter hamstring damage to Mike Evans and an embarrassing evening for the protection. However all the things received even worse with lower than a minute to go when Chris Godwin went down with a ugly ankle damage, one which led to him being carted off the sector with an air forged on his leg.
Bucs WR Chris Godwin – Photograph by: USA Right now
The ESPN broadcast declined to indicate a replay of the damage to Godwin, however the video circulated on Twitter/X and, to place it evenly, it didn’t look good.
It was clear from the response of the Bucs’ gamers who have been close to the play that this was one other devastating damage for Godwin, who already needed to battle again from one season-ending damage earlier in his profession when he tore his ACL and MCL in December 2021.
Bucs quarterback Baker Mayfield was visibly shaken, and various gamers eliminated their helmets and crouched down to hope for the Bucs’ main receiver in 2024.
Baker Mayfield and teammates are praying for Chris Godwin after struggling an damage late within the recreation.
Cart is popping out. #Bucs pic.twitter.com/E3CMsaQ8EE
— Logan B. Robinson (@LogansTwitty) October 22, 2024
Todd Bowles Supplies Preliminary Replace On Chris Godwin’s Damage
Bucs HC Todd Bowles – Photograph by: USA Right now
After the sport, Bucs head coach Todd Bowles supplied an early replace on Chris Godwin. Whereas there isn’t a ultimate phrase simply but, the preliminary analysis is heartbreaking for Godwin and the crew as an entire.
“He’s received an ankle. Early indication is that it’s dislocated,” Bowles mentioned. “We’ll see. It didn’t look good.”
Tampa Bay was down 10 factors with below a minute to go when the damage occurred, and it had no timeouts. That begs the query of why Godwin – in addition to the remainder of the beginning offense – was nonetheless within the recreation. Bowles was requested as a lot in his post-game press convention.
“He’s a participant. We’re making an attempt to win the ball recreation,” he mentioned. “We have been nonetheless down 10, we have been making an attempt to get additional factors and kick one other onside kick. It simply occurred. With Mike [Evans] taking place, we didn’t have that many receivers left because it was. So, we play what we received.”
However with Evans already injured and the Bucs set to play one other recreation in simply six days, wouldn’t or not it’s clever to guard Godwin at that time within the recreation?
“You’ll be able to say that as a result of he received harm. We don’t second-guess,” Bowles mentioned. “We’ve received our guys. We’re taking part in all people we’ve received. It’s unlucky he received harm, and we really feel unhealthy about that. However he’s a soccer participant. He wished to be within the recreation, similar to Baker [Mayfield] and all people else wished to be within the recreation.
When requested whether or not he has an obligation to guard his gamers from themselves, Bowles maintained that this wasn’t a type of conditions.
“I do defend my gamers on a regular basis,” he mentioned. “That has nothing to do with why we left him within the ball recreation. We nonetheless had a shot to attain some factors and win the ball recreation. It occurred. It occurs in soccer.
The Impression Of Dropping Chris Godwin Can’t Be Overstated
Bucs WR Chris Godwin – Photograph by: Cliff Welch P/R
It goes with out saying {that a} dislocated ankle would finish Chris Godwin’s season after simply seven video games. And it additionally goes with out saying that dropping Godwin is an absolute intestine punch to the Bucs.
“Our prayers are out for him. Chris is a hell of a participant and he’s a hell of a human being, much more so than that,” Bowles mentioned. “There’s not a lot you may say. You are feeling unhealthy for him. Sadly, they’re not gonna cancel the video games. We’ve received to step up and transfer on, however our hearts are heavy.”
Mayfield echoed Bowles’ sentiments after the sport.
“It completely sucks. It sucks for our crew, however Chris deserves higher than that,” Mayfield mentioned. “He’s an unbelievable man, an unbelievable teammate. You guys have seen, he’s been taking part in extraordinary this yr. Yeah, received a heavy coronary heart proper now. By no means one thing you need to see to any of your guys. I don’t know what we’re gonna do, however gonna have some guys step up. Ideas and prayers with Chris and his household proper now. It simply sucks.”
Working out of the slot this yr in Liam Coen’s offense, Chris Godwin was again to the elite ranges he performed at previous to his 2021 damage. That’s to not say he wasn’t productive in 2022 and 2023, as he nonetheless put up 1,000-yard seasons to increase his streak of such seasons to a few. However to date this season, he was trying nearly as good as he ever has.
In seven video games, Godwin posted 43 catches for 511 yards (11.9 avg.) and 5 touchdowns. He was the NFL’s chief in catches and first down receptions, and he entered Week 7 tied with Mike Evans for the league lead in receiving touchdowns. There’s additionally the added aspect to all of this, and that’s the truth that Godwin was producing at such a excessive degree in a contract yr.
Bucs WR Chris Godwin – Photograph by: USA Right now
As a lot as this hurts the Bucs offense and impacts the crew on the sector, there’s additionally the human dimension of this. Godwin’s damage is as a lot of successful to the locker room as it’s to the crew’s offensive system.
“Chris is an unbelievable veteran presence,” Mayfield mentioned. “Clearly, constant on the sector of play, however what he does, it goes all through the entire constructing. How constant he’s, he’s a professional’s professional, does all the things the suitable method, reveals up, goes to work each single day, goes out of his solution to educate the younger guys and produce him below his wing. He’s someone that anyone within the NFL would need in your crew. That’s why this one hurts.”
As irritating as Monday’s loss was feeling, it might’ve been tolerable. You recover from losses, particularly in Week 7. However the damage to Chris Godwin? That managed to make all the things else really feel inconsequential. From a soccer sense, it sucks. From a human sense, it’s heartbreaking. It harm to see, and there’s no overstating how devastating this complete scenario is to the Bucs, their followers and particularly Godwin himself.
