'Grief would not simply disappear': Bucs WR Godwin off to scorching begin regardless of adversity

TAMPA, Fla. — Chris Godwin is having fun with arguably the best begin to any season in Yr 8 with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. However for the Professional Bowl huge receiver, the current is the one factor that issues.

He might enable his thoughts to float from it — and he’ll typically try this within the quiet moments away from soccer — however then it might rob him of immediately, and he wants immediately.

He is recorded three touchdowns within the first three video games of the season — already beating final yr’s complete (two) from the common season and postseason mixed — and he is tied for third most within the NFL (teammate Mike Evans additionally has three). And his 27 catches by the primary 4 video games are tied with Amon-Ra St. Brown for third most.

And but privately, he is navigating the best loss he is ever skilled — his father, Rod Christopher Godwin Sr., died of most cancers shortly after the Bucs’ season ended within the divisional spherical of the playoffs.

For Godwin, he was his hero, the one who taught him about Frank Sinatra and screamed, “Half man, half monster, the Manster!” in any respect his video games.

“It has been a journey to say the least,” Godwin advised ESPN, talking publicly for the primary time about his father’s demise. “Prefer it was very, very powerful early on. After which very bizarre like when the season began and actually processing like him not being there, whether or not it is earlier than the sport or simply having the ability to speak to him after the actual fact.”

For Godwin, that meant compartmentalizing so as to transfer ahead. The intricacies of soccer and particularly his place — after his return to the slot — assist.

“I am targeted on so many issues, I am unable to simply be targeted on no matter grief that I’ve, and also you study that as a soccer participant, simply on the whole — a ‘subsequent play’ mentality,” Godwin mentioned. “You’ll be able to’t simply be specializing in a nasty play up to now or a great play up to now as a result of you must concentrate on this one.”

This week, it is an NFC South showdown when the Bucs (3-1) face the Atlanta Falcons (2-2) on the highway Thursday (8:15 p.m. ET, Prime Video).

His inconceivable third-and-10 catch with 1:16 to go final yr in opposition to the Falcons was important to the Bucs’ season. He zig-zagged his manner throughout the sector previous two defenders earlier than a 3rd lastly introduced him down on the Atlanta 15-yard line for a 32-yard achieve and arrange Cade Otton’s 11-yard landing to steal the 29-25 victory in Week 14.

On prime of that, the Falcons have surrendered 34 catches to fit receivers — fourth most within the league — and 17 first downs, sixth most.

“You’ve got gotta be prepared for when the second calls,” cornerback Zyon McCollum mentioned. “And Chris is at all times prepared.”

GODWIN’S PLAY IN Atlanta was key, however main as much as that recreation, that second, he spent the week answering questions on his (lack of) manufacturing, having failed to provide a catch in opposition to the Carolina Panthers the week prior.

“It sort of catapulted us into that massive run that we had and gave us the boldness that we would have liked to take management of the division and make the playoff run,” McCollum mentioned. “Seeing Chris try this — I imply he at all times reveals up in massive moments — which means somewhat extra and it is somewhat extra particular.”

That play was made out of the slot — the place Godwin is his most snug and impactful, having performed there from 2019 by 2022, and the place he is returned full time this yr beneath new offensive coordinator Liam Coen. There, he is capable of get open rapidly and use his physicality as he navigates site visitors. He likes that it permits him to be extra artistic and make the most of his versatility.

Godwin’s been a third-down machine this season, accounting for half the Bucs’ third-down catches with 10 — fourth-most within the NFL — and he is main all receivers with 188 yards after the catch.

“I do not assume I believed he was as sudden as he was in among the little subtleties of route operating, his capability to double individuals up at instances and create separation,” Coen mentioned. “I do not know if lots of people would say he is like an extremely quick man, however inside his position and in brief areas, he is aware of easy methods to get open. He is aware of easy methods to create area, he is aware of easy methods to assault leverage.”

He noticed Godwin’s burst on a sail route alongside the precise sideline on the primary day of coaching camp, which had Evans able to proclaim, “He appears to be like just like the Chris Godwin of 2019” — the place he had profession highs in yards (1,333), touchdowns (9) and first downs (63).

After which in opposition to the Washington Commanders in Week 1, he caught display screen after display screen after display screen.

“I hadn’t seen a man catch the ball on the line of scrimmage primarily and pierce the protection and other people not likely have the ability to sort out him,” Coen mentioned. “He is stronger than you’d assume. … He has had loads of manufacturing up to now on some screens for us. … He is simply taking part in at a excessive stage proper now.”

Within the Bucs’ Week 2 victory on the Detroit Lions, Godwin accounted for 117 of Baker Mayfield’s 189 passing yards and solely passing landing. He is been Mayfield’s security valve and their improved chemistry has been significantly noticeable when Mayfield’s been beneath duress, particularly with out beginning proper sort out Luke Goedeke, who has missed three video games with a concussion.

“You discuss scramble drill, nevertheless it turns into second nature when you could have a sensible soccer participant like Chris,” Mayfield mentioned. “If I’ll lengthen a play, he’ll see the place I am going, he’ll make a man miss and work with me in direction of no matter sideline I am going in direction of. Chris is an unbelievable participant, and we’re very fortunate to have him. He makes these performs work.”

THE SEASON IS massive for Godwin provided that it is a contract yr for him — and so they’ll possible must maneuver cash round to maintain him after re-signing Mayfield, Evans, Antoine Winfield Jr. and Tristan Wirfs within the offseason.

He spent the final two years feeling like he performed effectively, however he mentioned, “I might inform one thing was somewhat bit lacking.”

He credit strengthening his quadriceps and gluteal muscle groups to assist the knee and has been intentional together with his coaching to enhance explosion and yards after the catch, however he additionally acknowledged, “It is simply time.”

“Every of the final two seasons have felt totally different from the one earlier than,” Godwin mentioned. “The additional away you get from it, the higher off you find yourself feeling.”

If solely grief labored that manner too. However it would not, and it is one thing he is needed to work by.

“You’re feeling like there is not any area round,” Godwin mentioned. “However as life goes on, it is like that grief would not simply disappear. The room sort of will get larger and your life sort of expands, nevertheless it’s nonetheless there. It by no means disappears — you simply work out easy methods to stay life round it.

“There is a time for me to grieve and a time for me to be in that current second. After which after I’m on the sector, it is like I acquired a job to do as a result of my job is on the road. There is a bunch of individuals whose jobs rely on me and my teammates doing our jobs.”‘

Coaches, teammates and entrance workplace members discover Godwin’s method, and so they consider his steadiness and dependability set him aside.

“He is the identical individual daily,” McCollum mentioned. “Whether or not he is speaking to media, whether or not he’s speaking to teammates, whether or not he’s speaking to household, you are going to get the identical Chris. Identical factor on the sector daily. He has the identical routine about his enterprise. Once you do the identical time and again and again and again, greatness simply sort of finds you.”

Basic supervisor Jason Licht referred to as him “Mr. Consistency” and a “phenomenal individual, an outstanding participant [and] a terrific instance to our complete staff,” whereas coach Todd Bowles mentioned he is “meant all the things to this franchise.”

The moments of pleasure Godwin’s discovering proper now are appreciated and savored once they come, whether or not it’s in a celebratory leaping chest bump with Evans in the long run zone or devouring one among his spouse Mariah’s postgame treats, like espresso cake. It may be snuggling up with their rescue canines, Ghost and Ziggy, or touring to faraway locations like Italy and Switzerland, the place he will get to place one among his favourite hobbies to make use of: pictures.

After which he exhales and takes in no matter comes subsequent.

“Clearly life will proceed to go on,” Godwin mentioned. “The solar rises, sunsets each single day. So in case you simply keep the place you are at, you find yourself lacking your life and never having the ability to develop from it, you possibly can have the ability to use these issues to both assist someone else or to assist your self in a while. As a result of all of us expertise loss.”