The Tampa Bay Buccaneers couldn’t have asked for a better start to their 2025 season, sitting at 3-0. Their quarterback, Baker Mayfield, has already delivered three straight game-winning drives, giving Tampa Bay fans plenty of reason to believe this team is for real.
What makes it even more remarkable is that they’ve done it without one of their biggest stars: wide receiver Chris Godwin.
What Happened to Chris Godwin and What’s His Status for Week 4?
Godwin’s absence has caused a lot of pain. Almost a year ago, during Week 7 of the 2024 season, he sustained a severe ankle injury that resulted in a dislocation, a fractured fibula, and a ruptured deltoid ligament. It was a long road to get back to where he is now.
It meant multiple surgeries, long rehab sessions, and months of uncertainty about whether he would ever be the same player again. For someone who’s built his career on toughness and reliability, being sidelined for this long has been its own battle.
Now, the wait might finally be coming to an end. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Godwin has a “strong chance” to make his return in Week 4 when the Buccaneers take on the Philadelphia Eagles. While he was held out in last week’s win over the Jets, the optimism is real inside Tampa’s locker room.
Head Coach Todd Bowles said Godwin began practicing and that the decision on his status will come down to how he handles the next few days.
“We’ve got to see the progression of how they handle everything, and then we’ll make that decision at the end of the week,” Bowles explained.
Godwin’s Potential Return Critical with Mike Evans Confirmed Out
His return couldn’t come at a better time. The Bucs just lost Mike Evans to a hamstring injury that is expected to keep him out for several weeks. Evans has been Mayfield’s go-to weapon so far, and his absence leaves the offense thinner than usual. Rookie Emeka Egbuka has stepped in with confidence and poise, but getting Godwin back on the field would be a massive lift, both emotionally and strategically.
For Godwin, this isn’t just about football. It’s about finally seeing all the hours of rehab, all the setbacks, and all the patience pay off. It’s about hearing the roar of Raymond James Stadium again and proving to himself that he can still be the player who helped define this franchise’s offense for years.
Nothing is guaranteed, of course. The Bucs will carefully watch for last-minute setbacks before clearing him for Sunday. But if everything lines up, fans could witness a powerful moment: Godwin, helmet on, running out of the tunnel once again.
And after the year he’s had, that moment would mean everything.