Chris Godwin reflects on controversial decision that led to gruesome injury

Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles received criticism for playing starters late in the game when his team was trailing the Baltimore Ravens by 10 points this past October. 

Star wide receiver Chris Godwin suffered a gruesome dislocated left ankle and a high ankle sprain, fractured his fibula and tore his deltoid with under a minute to play in that contest. 

For a piece produced by Dan Pompei of The Athletic that was published on Monday, Godwin reflected on staying in the game and fighting to pick up yards even though Tampa Bay would've needed a miracle to tie up that Week 7 matchup before the clock expired. 

"One thing that bugs me is when guys quit and give up too soon," Godwin explained. "I’m going to play until the game is over. And that was what I was doing."

According to Pompei, Godwin began the morning of Oct. 21 leading the NFL in receptions, receiving touchdowns, receiving first downs and yards after the catch. He was also ranked third in receiving yards at that time. 

During his chat with Pompei, Godwin recalled how he and his wife Mariah sobbed in the tunnel shortly after the 29-year-old was carted off the Raymond James Stadium field. 

"We put so much into this, so much time and effort," Godwin said. "And the reality is, no matter how much you put into it, everything can change in a moment. We took a picture of us that morning with no idea how things would change a few hours later, and we talk about that still, never knowing what moment could change a portion of your life."

Godwin is a one-time Super Bowl champion who has played only for the Buccaneers since they made him a third-round draft pick in the spring of 2017. It's now known that he left money on the table when he agreed to a three-year, $66M contract with $45M guaranteed at signing to stay with Tampa Bay back in March. Per Pompei, the New England Patriots offered Godwin "an average of $30M per year on a multiyear deal." 

"If I ended up going to New England, it would have been solely based off money because everything else was telling me to stay here," Godwin said about his decision to remain with the Bucs. 

Per the JoeBucsFan website, NFL insider Jeremy Fowler said during a recent edition of ESPN’s "NFL Live" show that it's "not a slam dunk right now" that Godwin will be able to play in Tampa Bay's Week 1 game at the Atlanta Falcons on Sept. 7. 

Pompei wrote that "Godwin’s expectation is to be lined up in the slot in the season opener," but the fact that Tampa Bay grabbed Ohio State wide receiver Emeka Egbuka with the 19th overall pick of this year's draft has some believing Godwin won't be good to go when the first Sunday of September arrives.