The Tampa Bay Buccaneers lost much more than just the game in a Week 7 Monday Night Football showdown against the Baltimore Ravens — they may have lost their chances at winning a fourth consecutive NFC South Division title.
Late in the 41-31 loss, Buccaneers’ leading wide receiver Chris Godwin suffered what appeared to be a devastating lower leg injury — bad enough that MNF declined to show replays of what happened.
Godwin, who is in eighth season, was carted off the field with his left leg in an air cast, with an injury ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported the Buccaneers believed was a dislocated ankle.
“Between the player reactions, the fact ESPN won’t show a replay and the cart coming out, this appears to be a serious injury for #Buccaneers WR Chris Godwin,” NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo wrote on his official X account. “Awful.”
Godwin’s teammates gathered around him as he was taken off the field.
Godwin’s injury happened on the same night the team’s second-leading receiver, Mike Evans, exited the game in the first half with a hamstring injury and did not return.
A dislocated ankle would end Chris Godwin’s season and, possibly, his time in Tampa, too. Godwin is scheduled to be a free agent after this season. pic.twitter.com/DibV2XPrtO
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) October 22, 2024
Godwin Having Career Season for Buccaneers
Godwin is off to arguably the best start of his NFL career with 50 receptions for 576 yards and 5 touchdowns — putting him fourth in the NFL in receiving yardage through the first 7 games.
Godwin spent most of the offseason as the subject of trade rumors and is in the final year of a $3 year, $60 million contract extension he signed in March 2022.
ESPN’s Aaron Schatz singled out the Buccaneers securing an extension for Godwin as the most important move the team could have made before training camp.
Now, Godwin may have played his final game in Tampa Bay.
“Godwin’s contract voids after the 2024 season, but let’s not overthink this,” Schatz wrote. “He’s absolutely an above-average NFL starting wide receiver and someone Tampa Bay wants to keep around. An extension might also help spread out the cap hit for Godwin over the three void years where the Bucs would be carrying dead money for him under the current contract.”
Godwin One of NFL’s Most Consistent Receivers
Godwin’s career has been a model of consistency since the Buccaneers drafted him in the third round (No. 84 overall) out of Penn State in 2017.
He only started seven games over his first two seasons but had a breakout season in 2019 with career highs of 1,333 receiving yards and 9 touchdowns on 86 receptions in 14 games, earning NFL All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors for the first time.
Godwin missed four games due to injuries in 2020 and had 65 receptions for 840 yards and 7 touchdowns in 12 games but returned for the Buccaneers’ run to a Super Bowl title and had 16 receptions for 232 yards and 1 touchdown in four postseason games.
Godwin entered 2024 on a streak of three consecutive seasons of at least 1,000 receiving yards and had a career-high 104 receptions in 2022.
“Mike Evans gets most of the attention, but Godwin remains one of football’s better receivers,” The Athletic’s Dan Pompei wrote before the season “He had more receptions than Evans in four of the last five seasons, including the last three. The Bucs believe he will have more yards this year because they intend to use him more in the slot and less outside. At 28, Godwin is at the height of his abilities and he should be at the height of his desire — his contract is up after this season.”
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