The clash between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Baltimore Ravens on Monday night took a somber turn when wide receiver Chris Godwin suffered a gruesome lower leg injury that was so severe, ESPN chose not to show a replay of the incident. In the waning moments of the game, Godwin caught a pass from quarterback Baker Mayfield only to have his leg violently bent backwards under the weight of Ravens linebacker Roquan Smith.
Baker Mayfield, visibly shaken by the injury to his teammate, expressed his devastation in the post-game press conference. “It absolutely sucks. Yeah it sucks for our team but Chris deserves better than that. He’s an unbelievable guy, unbelievable teammate. Obviously you guys have seen he’s been playing extraordinary this year … I’ve got a heavy heart right now,” Mayfield lamented.
Reflecting on the impact of Godwin’s absence on the team, Mayfield remarked, “It’s never something you want to see happen to any of your guys … I don’t know what we’re going to do but, gonna have some guys step up but, yeah, thoughts and prayers with Chris.”
Godwin, who had been a key contributor to Tampa Bay’s offense throughout the season, had amassed impressive numbers before the injury. Leading the team with 43 receptions for 511 yards and five touchdowns, Godwin was instrumental in the Buccaneers’ success. In the game against Baltimore, he added to his tally with seven catches for 65 yards before the injury cut short his night.
The loss of Godwin is a significant blow to the Buccaneers, and his absence will surely be felt in the coming games. As the team regroups and adjusts to life without their star wide receiver, thoughts and prayers are with Chris as he begins his road to recovery.
