Chris Godwin’s 25-yard catch last Sunday wasn’t just a big gain - it was a statement. A stiff-arm, a burst of speed, and a shrug of defiance against everything he’s battled over the past year.
That play, a rumble down the right sideline that left defenders in his wake, was more than just yards on a stat sheet. It was the physical embodiment of a long, grueling climb back to form - a moment that told the story of recovery, resilience, and resolve.
“He just looked more confident,” quarterback Baker Mayfield said. “More explosive.”
And it showed. From the practices leading up to the game, Mayfield could see it: the old Godwin was starting to shine through again.
To understand the weight of that moment, you have to go back to Oct. 21, 2024.
That’s when everything changed. Godwin was tackled awkwardly by Ravens linebacker Roquan Smith, and the result was stomach-turning.
His foot twisted in a direction it simply wasn’t meant to go. The reaction from the Ravens players said it all - a collective gasp, followed by silence from over 60,000 fans inside Raymond James Stadium.
At the time, Godwin was in the middle of a monster season. He led the league with 50 catches, 576 yards, and five touchdowns through just seven games.
Project that out, and you're looking at a career year: 121 catches, nearly 1,400 yards, and a dozen touchdowns. But in an instant, those numbers became meaningless.
His thoughts turned to his pregnant wife, Mariah, and their unborn son, Ace. And yes - it hit him hard that this was happening in a contract year.
And the thought that echoed loudest? Not again.
Three years earlier, Godwin had already endured one of the worst injuries a wide receiver can suffer - a torn ACL, MCL, and PCL after a hit from Saints safety P.J. Williams.
This new injury, a dislocated ankle and fractured fibula, might’ve been even worse. He couldn’t put weight on his leg for weeks.
He needed help with everything. For an NFL player used to being in control of his body, that kind of vulnerability can be crushing.
Still, the Bucs stood by him. Just like after the knee injury, they signed him to a new deal. And Godwin, with the support of his wife and inner circle, went back to work.
“Mariah’s been incredible,” Godwin said. “She’s seen me at my lowest and my highest.
She’s taken so much off my plate. I couldn’t be more thankful for her - and for everyone who’s been in my corner.”
After the knee injury, Godwin remarkably suited up for the 2022 opener in Dallas. The Bucs even scripted a bubble screen on the first play to get him back into the action. But he pulled his hamstring and had to miss more time.
This time, his return was slower. He wasn’t ready for Week 1.
He finally got back on the field Sept. 28 against the Eagles, followed by a game in Seattle. Three catches for 26 yards in each game - not exactly eye-popping numbers.
Then came a setback: the fibula flared up again, and he missed five more games.
“It was a different injury,” Godwin said. “But the first one makes you more vulnerable.
It’s frustrating, but you can’t control what life throws at you. You can only control how you respond.”
And that response - the work behind the scenes, the quiet grind - is what set up that 25-yard catch against Arizona. Godwin finished the day with three receptions for 78 yards, including a 31-yarder that showed he’s still got the burst, the balance, the strength that made him one of the league’s most reliable receivers.
“Chris is never easy to bring down,” Mayfield said. “He’s got that contact balance.
He’s strong. That play was just a great example of who he is - and shoutout to Tez Johnson for throwing the block that sprung it.”
Now, the Saints are up next. And if there’s a team that brings out the fire in Godwin and the Bucs, it’s New Orleans.
The rivalry is real. The hits are hard.
The emotions run high.
“There’s always a lot of emotions,” Godwin said. “It’s a divisional game.
No love lost. That’s how you want it.”
The Saints don’t have much left to play for this season, other than pride - and maybe the chance to play spoiler. But if you ask Mayfield, there’s some bad blood there.
He didn’t mince words, saying he “hates” the Saints, partly because of their reputation for delivering hits after the whistle. And yes, you could make the case that Godwin’s knee injury back in 2021 might’ve been avoidable if not for that hit from Williams.
But Godwin isn’t one to dwell on that.
“You don’t go in expecting guys to play dirty,” he said. “If it happens, it happens.
You deal with it. You just play your game and hope everyone else does the same.”
Bucs left tackle Tristan Wirfs, who recently returned from his own knee surgery, knows a little something about the mental toll of rehab. But even he admits Godwin’s journey - not once, but twice - is something else entirely.
“There are low moments,” Godwin said. “And the truth is, nobody can do the rehab for you.
People can support you, encourage you, but at the end of the day, it’s on you. How hard you work, how well you recover, even your mental state - it all comes down to you.”
That kind of perspective doesn’t come easy. But it’s earned. And for Godwin, the biggest lesson has been gratitude.
“This is a privilege,” he said. “To play in the NFL, to do it at a high level - that’s all I’m focused on.
Getting back to that level. Being around the guys.
Helping my team win. That’s what matters most.”
Come Sunday, Godwin will line up once again - bruised, rebuilt, and ready. And if that 25-yard stiff-arm was any indication, he’s not just back. He’s coming for more.