Chris Godwin, in his third NFL season at age 24, has emerged as one of the league's elite wide receivers. He made his first Pro Bowl in 2019, with 86 catches for 1,333 yards and nine TDs in only 14 games.
Godwin will look to build on that breakout year in 2020, now with Tom Brady as his quarterback. With Brady's arrival, Godwin did have to give up his No. 12 jersey for No. 14, but getting the GOAT to throw him the ball in return was a fair trade.
Sporting News talked to Godwin about the arrival of Brady and Rob Gronkowski in Tampa Bay, the departure of Jameis Winston and how he's getting used to new jersey swaps in the time of COVID-19:
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SN: When you first started working with Tom Brady as your new quarterback, what were your first impressions?
Godwin: It surprised me the most just how humble he was. Knowing he's the GOAT with the six Super bowl rings and all his accolades, you expect him to carry himself in a certain way. But he came in working hard the way he's always done and has remained true to working to earn our trust.
SN: How has it been adding Rob Gronkowski to the mix of your established talented receivers such as you, Mike Evans, O.J. Howard, Scotty Miller and Cameron Brate?
Godwin. It has been definitely interesting having Gronk on the team. He is exactly who he is, and as goofy as he is, he is such a smart guy. He's excited to be back playing ball and is an exciting complement to us.
SN: Can you feel that Tom and Rob's many years of experience have already had a big effect on the team?
Godwin: They've been as beneficial as we expected. Throughout the course of the year, in certain situations, experience is the best thing you can have to go off. We have a good mix of older and young guys. They can feed well off each other.
SN: The first game with Tom wasn't the desired team result in Week 1, but what were the positive takeaways, despite the turnovers and loss?
Godwin: We still made a lot of good plays and we had some good connections all over the field. The running game was there. We have some really good stuff to build on for our upcoming games.
SN: Do you feel like the offense has a lot more upside this season as compared to last season?
Godwin: We definitely have more playmakers and depth everywhere. The coaching staff can get a lot more creative with that. We can go three wide receivers, three tight ends or three running backs, and be effective through different personnel. There are endless possibilities to position ourselves to be successful.
SN: Watching you, you are one of the NFL's most technically sound wide receivers when it comes to running routes and using your hands. How have you developed those skills so well, so fast?
Godwin: I paid close attention to detail when I got to college (at Penn State). Our coaching staff was high on the technique of playing receiver, minding all the p's and q's. Those fundamentals were a strong base for me going forward. Getting into the league I'm just building on what I learned in college. I work on honing those skills one percent more each day.
SN: You had your first big season with Jameis Winston. How did you feel when the Bucs decided they would go in a different direction at quarterback?
Godwin: It was a bittersweet situation with Tom coming in. I had a good relationship with Jameis and I'm a big fan of his and what he can do. It's just part of this business. The team and Jameis split ways, but I still have a lot of love for him.
SN: Because of COVID-19, NFL players can't swap jerseys with opponents the way they did before 2020. Can you tell me about the Tide Hygienic Clean Jersey Swap and how it works?
Godwin: It makes it possible again from a player’s perspective. It's really dope that something you enjoy isn't taken away. Now we can pair up in a way that everyone feels safe doing it. It's efficient, too. Instead of taking your jersey and pads off on the field, you take them into the locker room and personalize them there. Our equipment guys then take care of the rest, making sure we make our swap.
SN: If you could swap jerseys with any former NFL player, who would it be?
Godwin: As a receiver, it has to be Calvin Johnson or Randy Moss, two of the guys who meant a lot to me growing up.
SN: Because you switched jerseys from No. 12 to No. 14, do you have to jersey-swap with everyone you have already swapped with again?
Godwin: That's a good point. Hit me up and we'll figure out something, I'm sure.
