Chris Godwin: The Return of a Buccaneers Leader

Chris Godwin. That name carries power in Tampa Bay, it carries meaning in the Buccaneers’ locker room, but it also carries a story of resilience, of being rejected by millions in search of something more.

In March 2025, while he was a free agent, Godwin had several offers on the table. According to CBS Sports and NFL Network , both the New England Patriots and Pittsburgh Steelers offered him over $30 million per season, a figure that was very difficult to pass up.

But Godwin decided to stay in Tampa Bay, the place he considers “home,” the place where he experienced the triumph in Super Bowl LV, the place where he also experienced the hardest blow of his career: that October 21, 2024, when, in the third quarter against the Ravens, while receiving in the slot, his ankle gave way in an accidental fall.

A fractured fibula, a torn ligament… the diagnosis was overwhelming. Godwin’s season was over. The surgery, however, went as planned, including several plates and screws to stabilize the ankle.

The importance of family in decision-making

“My priority was to find a place where I could put down roots for myself, for Mariah, for Ace. This is more than just what the contract says.” — Chris Godwin, as reported by Buccaneers.com .

Mariah Godwin, always by his side, lived with Chris every step of the way through his recovery, helping him move past the pain, both physical and emotional. The arrival of Ace in 2025, the couple’s first child, helped Godwin find renewed strength with every step of his rehabilitation.

From that Polaroid of October 21—the last before his injury—a whole philosophy of resilience was born. From then on, every step on crutches, every hour in the gym, was destined not only to return, but to return more mature, more aware, more willing to leave his mark on the franchise.

A more mature return to the slot

In 2025, Godwin will return in top form, but more mature and more experienced in the locker room. According to new offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard, Godwin’s role in the slot will allow the Buccaneers’ offense to find space up the middle, thus increasing the passing options for both Baker Mayfield and new players like Emeka Egbuka, a first-round pick in the 2025 draft.

Mike Evans, Godwin’s longtime partner, summed it up this way:

“Chris is the soul of this team. Even though he has new players at his side, the number 14 (Godwin) is the one who sets the tone.”

This tandem has quite the history on the field, with over 9,500 receiving yards combined, over 60 touchdowns, and a 2021 Super Bowl LV victory over the Kansas City Chiefs.

Turning away millions in search of emotional stability

This decision to stay in Tampa, to leave behind more lucrative offers, has several implications. On the one hand, Godwin has all the emotional stability of a city that adores him; but he also has the opportunity to leave his mark on the place where he experienced the pinnacle of his career.

In several public appearances, the catcher stated: “My family, the team, the neighborhood… this is more than just sports to me.”

That makes it clear that Chris Godwin’s return to Tampa is as professional as it is emotional.

Something that General Manager Jason Licht also summarized as follows:

“Chris epitomizes what it means to be a Buccaneer. He endured very difficult tests and came back more mature, more focused, and more willing to give 100%.”

A promising future in full maturity

This year, 2025, is, in many ways, a new beginning for Godwin. A return to full maturity, when many believe a receiver’s peak is on the decline, but in Chris’s case, it looks like it’s on the rise.

Under Grizzard, alongside Mayfield, Evans, and Egbuka, Godwin has every opportunity to prove he has the guts for several more seasons in the NFL’s elite.

This return also has a significant emotional dimension: he’s playing at home, in the place where he lived dreams, nightmares, injuries, recovery… but also where he found Mariah’s love, started a family, and decided to leave millions behind in search of something bigger than money.