Chris Godwin: “I’m Not Stupid”
February 23rd, 2021
Joe loves a great story Bucs GM Jason Licht told years ago about rookie Chris Godwin, and it ties to when former Lost Decade quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick paid Godwin the ultimate compliment.
In short, Licht explained that after Godwin was drafted, on his own, Godwin immediately locked down housing for himself in Tampa and had made all kinds of other personal arrangements. By the time the Bucs staff dedicated to getting rookies settled honed in on assisting Godwin, he already had everything set.
That’s extremely rare for a third-round pick from the northeast, and it was nearly as special as when Fitzpatrick called Godwin a once-in-a-lifetime rookie.
“He was really a veteran presence as a young receiver, which has never happened in this league,” Fitzpatrick said in 2018.
“So that was great. And he’s got to continue to get better. He can make a 10-year career out of the way that he played last year. But I don’t think he wants to settle for being a guy that’s going to a role player, that’s going to be a good No. 2 or No. 3 receiver. At some point in his career, he’s got to strive to be that No. 1, go-to guy. And he’s just going to continue to get better and better. And I think I see that in him, too, his drive and his willingness, whether it’s in the film room or after practice the way that he works out here; it’s really impressive.”
Fast-forward to this afternoon, and Godwin is a Pro Bowl receiver who wants to be paid like a No. 1 receiver after finishing his four-year rookie contract.
Godwin is one of the top free agents on the market, and that’s why he got an invite to today’s edition of The Pat McAfee Show.
Godwin explained that he’s smart enough to see how good he has it in Tampa, though money will speak loudly.
“Dude, the goal, obviously, is to get paid, right? But the same time, I’m not stupid,” Godwin said.
“Like I’m not going to put myself in a situation where I’m going to be miserable for some years to come just for a couple extra dollars. I think my happiness is paramount in all of this, you know, and part of that happiness is winning. And like you said, having a bunch of different guys on the offensive side that can make your job a little but easier, but also give you the best chance to win is something that I’m strongly considering. It’s a big reason why I want to be here [in Tampa]. I know I can trust my dogs when it’s time to go to battle.”
The Bucs could slap the franchise tag on Godwin for about $16 million in guaranteed cash for 2021. So that’s an option on the table, even if Godwin might be disappointed by the Bucs not offering him a long-term deal. Lesser receivers are earning close to $20 million per season.
Now it’s just an agonizing waiting game for Joe and fellow Bucs fans.
On a funny note, Godwin told McAfee that he loves Bucco Bruce Arians in part because he’ll tell you when “you’re playing like sh*t.”
February 23rd, 2021 at 2:47 pm
I just hope all this gets worked out. CG, SB, LVD, NS, Succop and the rest. I need this, we need this.
Consolation prizes so far that I’m heading…
Odell Beckham
Von Miller not bad lol
Damn it get yo sh!t together Licht
Go Bucs
February 23rd, 2021 at 2:48 pm
^that I’m hearing
Go Bucs
February 23rd, 2021 at 2:53 pm
You can’t not like/love CG14.
I hope we can keep him but will be happy for him if he gets a great offer on a good team.
Top notch guy.
February 23rd, 2021 at 2:59 pm
Are you hearing Bucs might sign Gerald McCoy in the case we miss out on suh, Nunez , McClendon
Rico 210 Says:
February 23rd, 2021 at 2:48 pm
^that I’m hearing
Go Bucs
February 23rd, 2021 at 3:00 pm
Godwin is a must. 3 yrs from now Evans and aB will most likely be out of the picture. And Godwin at 27 will be in his prime. As he is now.
February 23rd, 2021 at 3:07 pm
What an awesome immature attitude by Chris Godwin
February 23rd, 2021 at 3:09 pm
Whatever choice he makes, I don’t blame him. I desperately want him back. If it were me and I was offered $20 mil to play In Detroit or $16 mil to stay in Tampa. That’s a no-brainer, I’m staying in Tampa.
February 23rd, 2021 at 3:10 pm
I’m all for bringing back Gerald McCoy (at a cheap salary) and letting him have a chance to play next to Vita Vea which he never got the chance to.
McCoy might surprise some people with his production if he gets to play next to Vea.
February 23rd, 2021 at 3:11 pm
Acefaerospace that’s 4 MILLION dollars. I don’t think that’s a no brainer.
February 23rd, 2021 at 3:11 pm
CG14, ShB, often they use :”…being able to take care of my family..”, and such..
and $16M is not good they want 18-19M per YEAR!!??
How you guys here can take care of your family with the fraction of that…what kind of cr00py justification is that.
A master degree electrical engineer in Florida $60000-$80000 per year or for 30years = lifetime $2.4M
there are a lot of things better that 10-15% more than what you make, in your life. CG14 is saying he understand that, good, be smart then.
There are not to many things that you can do with 18M, that can’t be done with 16M per year for “your family”…..like winning another SB….:)
February 23rd, 2021 at 3:12 pm
Chris Godwin is a truly special WR. Sometimes his smooth route running reminds of JERRY RICE. He’s that good at times.
I don’t see how the Bucs can let Godwin go. We need him. One day he will takeover for Evans as our #1.
Let AB go. Let Fournette go.
February 23rd, 2021 at 3:38 pm
hell no to sorry gmc!!!!!
my buddy is a BILLS fan…he wants godwin and suh…lol…
get it done licht!!!!!
GO BUCS!!!!!
February 23rd, 2021 at 3:44 pm
no to gerald
February 23rd, 2021 at 4:03 pm
BradyBucs … The Bucs have 6 players under contract making MORE than $10 mil each, 5 on offense (Brady, ME13, Smith, Marpet & Jensen … $81.3 mil) plus 1 on defense (JPP … $12.5 mil). In the $5 – $10 mil range we have 4 more players, 2 on offense (Brate & OJ … $12.5 mil) plus 2 on defense (White & Gholston … $13.7 mil).
Just those 10 under-contract players total out to $120.0 mil. Add the next 10 players who are under-contract, all of whom will almost surely make the 53-man roster, and you just added another $21.8 mil (we’re down in the $1 mil per yr salary range now), and that takes us to $141.8 mil. So go down 7 more on the under-contract list (they’ll all probably make the final roster also) and you can add another $6.7 mil, bringing the cost for HALF the team (27 players) to $148.5 mil for 2021. And BTW, of those 27 players, the offense would have 15 players, the defense 11 players (most of them on their rookie contract), and S/Ts 1 player (Pinion).
IF the salary CAP stays the same as it was in 2020 at $198 mil (and I personally think it will) we’d have not quite $50 mil left to sign 26 players. Unfortunately included in THOSE 26 players are all our free agents, plus our rookie class of course. Names like LVD, Shaq, Suh, Godwin, Gronk, Succop, Gabbert & a bunch of other role players who were critical to our winning the Super Bowl (like Minter, Brown, Nunez-Roches, Stinnie & a number of others).
Folks talk about JL getting ‘creative with contracts’ but you can only squeeze so much ‘blood out of a turnip’ as they say. There’ll be some hard choices to be made, some very hard choices. And some won’t be very popular I’d be willing to bet. I for one don’t see any way we can keep LVD, Shaq AND Godwin. At best we’ll be able to pay 2 out of 3. At worst, we get to keep only 1. And if the salary CAP really does go down to $180 mil like some have predicted, it’d be a challenge to even keep one. Got a feeling this is why it’s so hard to repeat as SB Champion in back-to-back years.
February 23rd, 2021 at 4:20 pm
^^^^ with those numbers, good info BTW, wt_h they are talking, wt_h we are talking…there is no arithmetical possibility, no mater how low they are willing to go, to keep those three guys.
still is a question: is possible to cheat?? is possible to go “negative”??
can by extending several contracts, free enough money to keep two of the three??
Otherwise we are done with this angle, let them go, and try with hopefully good leftover…they always are out there….JL go and find them….we don’t have much time left with TB12 age….
February 23rd, 2021 at 4:23 pm
^^^ the future, literally, for us is NOW….
February 23rd, 2021 at 4:27 pm
Backload a bunch of contracts and prepare for a few lean years post- Brady. It’s not like we aren’t used to it
February 23rd, 2021 at 4:28 pm
You can only imagine how many time in 60 yrs i’ve heard “I have to feed my family” If it’s a struggle to feed your family on $5 million a year, you may have a major problem. Thomas Edward Patrick Brady has NEVER been the highest paid QB. Yes Gisele makes twice what he does. He loves the game that much. He wants everyone to be successful. All this talk about money reminds me of a character on the John Boy and Billy radio show. The man won the lottery and said the 1st thing he wanted to do is buy a new washer and dryer. And if he had enough money left, he was getting new brakes on his tractor
February 23rd, 2021 at 4:39 pm
Alton Green you sound crazy sir . I’m all for those guys going after their money . Because what happens if he gets hurt or when he gets older and he’s not as fast any more ?? You will be the main one saying cut him !! I wouldn’t be loyal to no NFL franchise if I was playing because they ain’t loyal to me . Brady wife makes over a hundred millon dollars a year . So he can take pay cuts I hate when I here people say that and give him creid for doing that . Godwin Go Get Your Money Brother !!!!
February 23rd, 2021 at 4:52 pm
Oneil bucs you sound crazy to me sir. We are not here for CG, ShB, LD and other individuals that make millions and want to make millions+1. Of course good for them, we are a capitalist society, and proudly so. But we root for our team… and in our small pocket mentality, make no sense to stay for 17M per year but leave for 16M per year. Thats no sense for most of us, even if you have short life in NFL, like 3-4 years….hmm thats 55-64M and you still are ONLY 30 years old… but with busted knee …. I busted my knee playing basketball with may 5 year old son.. once…. still hurts… 🙂
February 23rd, 2021 at 5:08 pm
Hate to say it but sign Godwin to long-term deal and trade Evans for #1 draft pick.
February 23rd, 2021 at 5:49 pm
Some of u sound stupid. Brady is not the primary bread winner. His wife is worth 600 mil. His parents are well off. His financial situation is not like a lot of these players where their moms are homeless and living in shelters or working 3 jobs. Who the f@ck are u to tell these men how much they need to feed their families? These players want generational wealth so their children’s children’s children’s children are set up just like a lot of the “business” men you cheer. I dont see anyone getting mad at these CEO’s who lay off $40,000 a year employees right before the holidays all to get their 10 mil christmas bonus. I definitely dont see fans made when a team cut players who have 30 mil left on a contract. Many of yall want to cut donavan smith and his 14 mil contract and he is a starting left tackle for a super bowl champion. CG and barrett and whoever else…get that bag!!! Feed your families and whoever else you feel the need to feed.
February 23rd, 2021 at 6:00 pm
My last comment was supposed to read “awesome And mature” attitude by Godwin. dam autocorrect when I have to use my phone to post.
February 23rd, 2021 at 6:02 pm
Sc Bucs fan. I was speaking for myself. Not him. You couldn’t pay me enough to move to Detroit and play for that franchise. I wouldn’t look at the 4 mil I’m missing out on, I’d look at the 16 mil to play for a true contender in my home town.
February 23rd, 2021 at 6:03 pm
@crayhopper. You do understand that Mike Evans makes it possible for Chris Godwin to be who he is don’t you?
February 23rd, 2021 at 6:09 pm
If Godwin can agree to a bridge contract, 3 years, $47 million, like hockey players do, then he can get a bigger payday at the end of that. If not, we have young options which look like they are ready to step up like Tyler Johnson. Plus there are going to be A LOT of receivers cut this offseason by other teams.
And HELL NO to GMC. Nice guy, middling player. Suh proved that he should have been THAT draft pick, not GMC.
February 23rd, 2021 at 6:10 pm
@Ace……….Exactly!
February 23rd, 2021 at 6:19 pm
Think it will be franchise tag which might benefit him if brady retires he can skip town
February 23rd, 2021 at 6:34 pm
I don’t want the McCoy soft attitude infecting this bad-a$$ D lockerroom.
February 23rd, 2021 at 6:34 pm
While Godwin can play on the Outside, he was better suited at the Slot position. I don’t think he has proven to be a $20 mil player. If the salary cap wasn’t a factor sure, pay him.
Over half the teams this year will be in Cap hell. There will be a lot to choose from playing the #2 WR position. Brown will sign for under $5 mil and can fill in for Godwin. Too many other players to reward.
February 23rd, 2021 at 6:45 pm
Godwin should get what he wants. This will likely be his big pay day
Anyone on here would do the same
Glad he wants to stay here And admits we are best fit
You do have loyalty in the nfl
Nba – good luck getting a player to stay in orlando or another small market city where he is drafted
February 23rd, 2021 at 7:31 pm
I took a HUGE pay cut when I decided I would rather be a paramedic than a salesman. Did I say huge? I mean HUGE. Anyway, I never regretted it. Being a paramedic was the absolute best thing in the world for me. It’s not always about the money.
If I was Godwin, I’d do my best to stay with the Bucs. I’d cozy up to Brady and Gronk and learn how to get national endorsements lined up. I’d bust my ass on the field and make damn sure I was a pro bowler.
Super Bowl ring + pro bowl + nice looking and sounding young man = $$$$$
February 23rd, 2021 at 7:58 pm
We have a HOF WR that people want to trade. You people amaze me.
February 23rd, 2021 at 8:00 pm
I just hope all this gets worked out between us and Chris Godwin.
I too share Cobraboy’s concerns about GMC.
His soft attitude may infect our Dogs, and we sure as heck don;t need that.
February 23rd, 2021 at 8:01 pm
Haha i love when i post my post from 2.5 hours ago still has not shown up.
Any case willieg
When will u and people like u learn your 60,000 a year job or potential 150,000 a year job is not a pro athlete. Your sales job did not have the capability of providing generational wealth. Stop equating your earning potential and situation to a pro athlete. ITS NOT THE SAME!!!!! These young men have the opportunity to ensure their families are taking care of for GENERATIONS. Your decision and position does not compare PERIOD. Your sales job and paramedics job ensures your son, daughter, mother etc probably will still have to work. Not the case when these athletes are getting this bag. If i can make money where my mom does not have to worry about 401k or social security or pensions then that is what Im going to do.
February 23rd, 2021 at 8:13 pm
Who brought this stupid sh!t up about Gerald McCoy coming back? Absolutely not.
We’re looking for good players that want to ring chase, not washed up bums.
February 23rd, 2021 at 8:32 pm
Chris Godwin is a great player but it isn’t worth dismantling a team to pay a receiver $16 to $20 m. How important are these #1 receivers. Diggs, Hill, Landry, Kupp, Metcalf all great players but only 1 has a ring Hill. If Evan’s was the only premier receiver and the rest were so so, your not in the SB let alone win one. Spread the wealth and get a bunch of good players rather than 1 premium player.
February 23rd, 2021 at 8:54 pm
Bruh
That’s a clown statement. Don’t nobody want GMC tired ass. No place here for pansies. FOH
Go Bucs
February 23rd, 2021 at 8:58 pm
Can’t afford Godwin.
Can’t afford 30m (1/6 of the salary cap) on 2 WR
There was a time that the Cowboys had two “#1” WRs. One came to us as a FA and Alvin Harper was a bust.
Its questionable that Godwin is a true #1
February 23rd, 2021 at 9:06 pm
It’s great to be the Champs and have this as our conversation. 🔥🔥🔥
February 23rd, 2021 at 9:32 pm
No GMC….dayum you Ardnagy.
February 23rd, 2021 at 9:44 pm
Go Bucs! We went from worst to first.
February 24th, 2021 at 12:17 am
The only way that the Bucs can keep everyone is if the top of the roster (10m+) each give back 2-4 million each and the free agents all agree to take hometown discounts. This way everyone can make near what they are worth but the team is able to stay together. For the past couple of months everyone, including the players, have been talking about how close the team is and how they want to make a run at back to back. Well, now is the time for them to back up their words with actions and sacrifice for the team.
IMO, this is all going to come down to how much do people hate losing. I know I personally would rather make $8m and have a good chance to make a deep playoff run every year, over making $12-14m and going 4-12, but that is just me. Even $500k is a lot of money and I won’t begrudge anyone who doesn’t but if they want to stand behind their words, this is the only way I can see them keeping the team together.