Chris Godwin re-signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during NFL free agency, accepting a three-year, $66 million deal. Godwin is coming off a gruesome ankle injury in Week 7 that ended his season early, but he reportedly turned down even more money to stay with the Bucs.
Chris Godwin Nearly Accepted Offer From Patriots
There were questions about Godwin’s market heading into free agency after his ankle injury. The official diagnosis was a dislocated ankle, which was a major setback since HE was having one of the best starts of his career.
Despite re-signing with the Bucs, reports surfaced — and were later confirmed by Godwin himself — that he turned down more money elsewhere to stay in Tampa Bay. Godwin appeared on The Insiders via NFL Network, where he discussed taking less money to remain with the Bucs and admitted he was “really close” to leaving.
In the interview, Godwin referenced that Bucs WR Mike Evans faced a similar situation last year before deciding to stay, joking, “Maybe there’s something in the water.
“I think it speaks to the type of guys that we bring in here. Whether they’ve been drafted here and grown throughout their career, we build these relationships with the players that we work with, and it really becomes a brotherhood. So whenever it comes time to make those tough decisions, those are things that factor into it.
“On top of that, Tampa as a city is a great place to be, and a lot of people stay down here in the offseason. You can live here year-round.”
When asked how close he was to leaving for more money, Godwin responded:
“To be honest, I feel like we were really close. When it comes to a situation like that, you have to really, really consider it. And me and Moriah (Godwin’s wife), we had some really tough conversations… because at the end of the day, we’re trying to figure out what’s going to be best for our family.”
Chris Godwin joins @MikeGarafolo and I on the Insiders to talk returning to Tampa. #nflnetwork #bucs pic.twitter.com/6v8TS8r117
— Sara Walsh (@Sara_Walsh)
The “generational money” reference came from Buccaneers GM Jason Licht, who praised Godwin’s loyalty.
“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 Moriah, they bet on us, and we’re going to do everything that we can to make it right for you and chase another ring.”
It’s clear that Godwin has a strong bond with the Buccaneers and the city of Tampa Bay. Now, all parties involved are hoping he can fully recover from his ankle injury and return to top form.
