" Todd Bowles Shares Update on Chris Godwin Following Concerning Leg Injury"

 

chris godwin

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers suffered a tough 41-31 loss to the Baltimore Ravens on "Monday Night Football," made worse by injuries to both star wide receivers, Mike Evans and Chris Godwin. Godwin sustained a dislocated left ankle, while Evans suffered a right hamstring injury, according to head coach Todd Bowles.

Bowles, awaiting more details on Evans' condition, expressed serious concern for Godwin. “It doesn't look good,” he said, adding that Godwin was visited by several teammates in the training room after the game. “Our prayers go out to him. You feel bad for him, but we’ve got to step up and move on. Our hearts are heavy.With just over a minute left in the game, Godwin caught a pass from quarterback Baker Mayfield and was tackled from behind by linebacker Roquan Smith, causing Godwin's left ankle to twist awkwardly under Smith. Several teammates looked visibly shaken as Godwin remained on the ground and was attended to by the medical staff. Mayfield knelt down in distress, later stating, "This absolutely sucks. Chris deserves better. He's an unbelievable teammate and has been playing extraordinary this year. My heart is heavy."

The Buccaneers' bench cleared as Godwin was helped onto the injury cart, with fans chanting "Godwin!" and giving a standing ovation. Before the game, Godwin and Evans were tied for the league lead with five touchdowns each, with Mayfield calling them the “heartbeat of this team.”

Bowles stood by his decision to leave Godwin and other starters in the game despite the score being out of reach, emphasizing, “We don’t second-guess. We still had a chance to score and win.” Mayfield also supported the call, explaining that the team still believed they had a chance with an onside kick and a potential Hail Mary play.

Evans, who entered the game nursing a hamstring strain, scored a 25-yard touchdown on the opening drive, becoming just the 11th player in NFL history to reach 100 career receiving touchdowns. However, in the second quarter, Evans appeared to aggravate the injury while attempting a catch in the end zone, grabbing the back of his leg in pain. He was able to walk off the field with assistance but was noticeably limping as he entered the tunnel to another standing ovation.

Evans missed two practices this week due to a lingering hamstring issue, which coach Todd Bowles had described as a persistent rather than an acute injury. Despite limited practice on Friday, Evans was cleared to play without any injury designation for Monday night’s game, where he was honored with a videoboard message celebrating his career milestone in the first quarter.

Evans and Godwin are the top two all-time leaders in receiving yards for the Buccaneers. Evans was hoping to tie Jerry Rice this season for the most consecutive 1,000-yard seasons, having achieved 10 in his first 10 years

For Godwin, this marks his second major injury after tearing his ACL and MCL in Week 15 of the 2021 season. Over the summer, Godwin mentioned he finally felt like his old self again, a sentiment echoed by his teammates and coaches.

“I’m sick about it,” said tight end Cade Otton about his teammates' injuries. “They’re great guys, great leaders, and great players. It’s tough, but we have to come together, play better, and win games for them.”

Outside linebacker YaYa Diaby added, “Chris was having an incredible year, and we need him on this offense. Mike, tooThe Buccaneers, now 4-3, face a crucial divisional matchup this weekend against the Atlanta Falcons (also 4-3), a rematch of Tampa Bay's overtime loss in Week 5.