Chris Godwin, the second-leading pass-catcher in Tampa Bay Buccaneers franchise history, will be sticking around to build on those numbers, and to continue his historic combined production with Hall of Fame-lock Mike Evans. That was confirmed on Monday when Godwin agreed to terms on a new three-year deal, the fourth he has signed with the Buccaneers counting a franchise tag year in 2021.
Godwin came to the AdventHealth Training Center to put pen to paper on that new deal on Wednesday, then stuck around to talk to the media. This all came one day before the start of the NFL's 2025 free agency period, the waters of which Godwin could have tested had he chosen to do so. Godwin got a much-deserved high-dollar new deal from the Buccaneers, but there is a general sense that there were even more lucrative offers waiting for him on the open market.
General Manager Jason Licht acknowledged as much when the two sat together at the press conference table on Tuesday. Licht actually directed his gratitude on the team's behalf directly to the ninth-year receiver, with Godwin's wife, Mariah, looking on while holding their two-month-old son, Ace.
"That's just the type of person Chris is," said Licht. "I know you left what some would say [is] generational money [on the table], and people always give us kudos for betting on Chris during his injuries but he and Mariah, they bet on us, and we're going to do everything that we can to make it right for you and chase another ring."
Licht was referring to the fact that, for the second time in four years, the Buccaneers have happily invested in more seasons from Godwin even after he was coming off a significant injury. A torn ACL in Week 15 ended the receiver's 2021 season early but the Buccaneers still applied the franchise tag on him a couple months later for a second year in a row, before the two sides quickly worked out a long-term deal to replace it. This time, Godwin is returning from a scary dislocated ankle suffered in Week Seven of the 2024 season against Baltimore.
"It really does mean the world to me because I feel like things like this, they don't just happen," said Godwin of the two post-injury commitments. "For a guy to have gone through what I've been through and like you said, in two contract years, and be able to get a deal done with the team that they're on, I think, is very, very rare. It speaks to the type of person that I am, to their trust in me, to their belief in me and that I'll put the work in to not only be the player that I was, but to be better and I take that very, very seriously."
Godwin caught a career-high 104 passes the year after his knee injury while producing the second of his three straight 1,000-yard campaigns. He was off to a sizzling start in 2024 after moving back into the slot in Liam Coen's new offense, leading the league in receptions and YAC through seven weeks while ranking third in receiving yards and scoring five touchdowns. A receiving triple crown wasn't out of the question.
Godwin's all-out devotion to his rehab in 2022 obviously gave the Bucs' confidence he would come back just as strong from his latest injury, but it's likely that other teams around the league were just as convinced and ready to open the checkbook. After the Bengals placed their franchise tag on Tee Higgins a couple weeks ago, Godwin was widely regarded as the most coveted wide receiver with a chance to hit the open market. No one could have blamed him for listening to other offers, but the solution he chose in Tampa was the right mix of financial gain and comfort for him and his family.
"I think, what it boiled down to, honestly, was family and just staying true to who I am," said Godwin of staying with the Bucs. "I feel like nine out of 10 people in this position wouldn't necessarily have made the decision that I did but I don't do the things that I do based on what other people would do. I trust my gut and I stay true to who I am. One thing I've never done is made any decisions solely based on the money.
"I think I'm fortunate enough to be in this position and to be here at this table again. That's a position that not many people have had. I recognize that and I'm fortunate in that way, so for me, I had to do what was best for myself, I had to do what was best for our family. I had to do what we were the most comfortable with, but also, I work with a lot of great people and those things really are big factors. Enjoying where you work plays a big part in this."
It's not just the interpersonal relationships and ties to the community that led Godwin to get on the Buccaneers again. After seeing what could have been his best season yet snipped in the middle last fall, Godwin is eager to see what the Bucs' offense can produce in 2025. He was thrilled by the promotion of Josh Grizzard to offensive coordinator afer Coen's departure, knowing he would be operating in the same sort of offense, and he knows that the Bucs are loaded with dangerous weapons. Even without Godwin after Week Seven, the Bucs still finished in the top five in scoring, rushing yards, passing yards and total yards.
"I think the beautiful thing is the way this team is set up," said Godwin. "We have a ton of playmakers all over the field and I think we had a really good view of that when I got hurt, when Mike got hurt and we were still one of the best offenses in the league. To me, I look at that as there's a world of opportunities out there and not just for myself but for all of us. When we're all healthy, we're going to be a hell of an offense to try to deal with and that excites me."
