The Buzz Surrounding Chris Godwin In 2025

Let’s put the spotlight on Bucs wide receiver Chris Godwin.

With the 2024 season firmly in the rearview mirror and the pre-draft process, free agency, the draft itself, OTAs and mini-camp also behind us, it’s time to ramp up the excitement for training camp and then, of course, the Bucs’ 50th season. As we did last summer, we’ll spend the weeks leading up to training camp focusing on some storylines and narratives surrounding some of Tampa Bay’s biggest stars in 2025.

We started with quarterback Baker Mayfield, then went on to the backfield duo of Bucky Irving and Rachaad White before moving into the wide receiver room with Mike Evans. Today, we stick with the wide receiver position to focus on Chris Godwin.

When Will We See Chris Godwin Back On The Field?

The last time we saw Chris Godwin suit up for a football game was Oct. 21, 2024 on Monday Night Football. Godwin was on an absolute tear, barreling toward a fourth straight 1,000-yard season. He already had five touchdown catches in the first seven games, equaling his total between 2022 and 2023 combined. But unfortunately, what could’ve gone on to be a career year came to a premature end, as Godwin suffered a dislocated ankle late in the loss to Baltimore.

It was the second time Godwin suffered a major injury during a contract year, and like they did after his season-ending knee injury in 2021, the Bucs showed their faith in the 2017 third-round pick by signing him to a new three-year deal. This time, that three-year deal is worth $66 million, with $44 million guaranteed.

After signing his new contract in March, Godwin said in a press conference that he was right where he needed to be in terms of his recovery timeline, but there’s been little in the way of updates throughout the rest of the offseason.

Todd Bowles said at the NFL Annual Meeting that he hopes to see Godwin on the field for the Bucs’ season opener in September, but he had no further updates when the team came back together for OTAs and mini-camp.

“He’s working hard,” Bowles said. “He’s coming around. We’ll see more when we get to training camp. We’re hopeful of Week 1… Nothing has really changed. If anybody can come back and play, it’s going to be Chris.”

So, when will we see Chris Godwin back in action? That’s perhaps the biggest question for Tampa Bay as training camp draws near. This is familiar territory, as the same question was asked as Godwin worked his way back from a devastating knee injury ahead of the 2022 season. That year, he made it back for Week 1 before suffering a different injury that would cost him some time early in the campaign.

There’s no clear evidence that the injury he picked up early in 2022 was related to any kind of overcompensating due to his recovery from the knee injury, but might the Bucs be even more careful this time around? It’s a different injury and recovery process, and only time will tell. What could help, though, is that the wide receiving corps is in a better place heading into 2025 than it was in 2022.

Whether he’s back at full speed for the start of training camp, at some point in August, Week 1 at Atlanta or even a couple of games into the season, the Bucs need the best version of Chris Godwin possible.

Can Chris Godwin Return To Form After A Second Major Injury?

Whenever Chris Godwin does make his return, will he manage to work his way back to being himself again? After that 2021 knee injury, it took him a little while before he truly rounded back into form. Now, he still went over 1,000 yards in that first year back, but he averaged a career-low 9.8 yards per catch. He got that number back up to 12.3 during another 1,000-yard campaign in 2023 before starting 2024 with 50 catches for 576 yards and five touchdowns over the first seven games.

Beyond the fact that he’s been through a long recovery process before and eventually began looking a lot like the 2019-2021 version of himself, Godwin’s work ethic and mentality is a big part of what the Bucs are betting on as he makes his way back to the field again.

Before re-signing him to another new contract, general manager Jason Licht told the media at the NFL Scouting Combine that if he were a betting man, he’d bet on Chris Godwin. Head coach Todd Bowles echoed that sentiment at the time, too.

“If there was anybody on the team I thought could come back from an injury that I would pick, that I would bet on, it would be him,” Bowles said. “Because his work ethic, his confidence, the way he attacks treatment, the way he tries every day to be the best he could be… He’s probably the best at it on our team.”

Three years and $66 million (albeit with $44 million guaranteed) is a lot to bet on a 29-year-old who has suffered a major knee injury and a significant ankle injury. Yet it doesn’t feel like as big of a risk when it’s Godwin, does it? He has paid off Tampa Bay’s faith in him time and time again, and there’s little reason to doubt that he can do so again.

It may take some time for Godwin to get back to the version of himself that led the league in receptions, first-down receptions and yards after catch at the time of his injury. He may not be the engine of the offense the way he was for Liam Coen’s group last year, at least not right away.

But the Bucs have put themselves in a position where he doesn’t have to be. Between Mike Evans, Jalen McMillan, Emeka Egbuka, Tez Johnson, Cade Otton, Bucky Irving, Rachaad White and Sean Tucker, Tampa Bay has plenty of firepower on offense to allow Godwin to come back without feeling like he has to be the focal point. If we’re betting, though, it’s worth betting on No. 14 to quickly return to being a key cog in Josh Grizzard’s offense.

Will Trust Between Chris Godwin And The Bucs Result In Another Ring?

The three-year deal that Chris Godwin signed for $66 million this offseason certainly isn’t anything to scoff at. But when you consider that the Patriots reportedly offered a multi-year deal worth $30 million per year, it speaks volumes about how Godwin and his family feel about Tampa Bay.

Godwin confirmed as much in a recent interview with The Athletic’s Dan Pompei (subscription required), as he said conversations with his wife, Mariah, helped him conclude that, as Pompei wrote, “they would take less, much less, to stay in Tampa.”

The 29-year-old receiver spoke at length about his love for Tampa, the only place in the NFL he has called home since being drafted in 2017, at his press conference back in March.

“Me and Mariah got here when we were just kids. We were just out of college at 20 years old,” Godwin said. “We didn’t know a ton about Tampa but I think we quickly found out that this was a place that we were going to be able to call home and over the eight years since then, we’ve met a ton of people, we’ve got to work with a lot of really, really great people that have made our experience so so much better.

“I think when it comes down to making a tough decision like this, I think those are some of the things that come top of mind. It’s family, it’s relationships, it’s being where you want to be [and] being where people want you. I couldn’t be happier to be coming back. We love Tampa, we love it here.”

Then came the final line of his opening statement.

“It’s a great day and I’m really looking forward to creating a lot of great memories and chasing more championships.”

Chasing more championships.

Godwin got to taste Super Bowl glory when Tampa Bay hoisted the Lombardi Trophy in his fourth season. But that was (somehow) already four seasons ago. As he nears 30, the former Penn Stater certainly wants to add another Super Bowl ring to his resume.

By re-signing Godwin, the Bucs showed trust that despite his second season-ending injury in 2024, they believe he is still a key piece in their pursuit of another Super Bowl. And by passing up on more money elsewhere to stick with the team that drafted him, Godwin showed faith in the idea that Tampa Bay isn’t all that far away from another championship.

Could that mutual trust in pursuit of another Lombardi Trophy pay off as soon as this season? The 2025 Bucs are set up for it.

Bonus Storyline: Chris Godwin Will Add “Jr.” To The Back Of His Jersey In 2025

Chris Godwin announced last month that he will add “Jr.” to the back of his jersey this season to honor his father, Rod Christopher Godwin Sr., who died in January of 2024. His touching tribute to his father is worth your time: