Bucs Gameday

Chris Godwin Deserves Consideration for Comeback Player of the Year

There hasn't been a ton of chatter regarding Godwin's candidacy for the AP's Comeback Player of the Year award, and there should be.

Collin Haalboom

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Less than 13 months ago. 390 days, to be exact. Chris Godwin suffered a catastrophic knee injury. It was in Week 15  vs. the New Orleans Saints.

It was a demoralizing blow, not just to Godwin's right knee, but to the Buccaneers' hopes of repeating as Super Bowl Champions.

The Bucs went on to come up just short of knocking off the eventual Super Bowl winning, Los Angeles Rams, at Raymond James Stadium after a dramatic, and miraculous comeback effort in the Divisional Round. 

One can't help but wonder how that game would've gone had Godwin still been in the lineup. But that's football. Injuries happen all the time, and they happen to every team. Although it's unfortunate, it is to be expected.

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What's not to be expected, however, is coming back within eight months of suffering a torn ACL and MCL, let alone producing at an elite level for the entire season.

But this is Chris Godwin we're talking about. And that's exactly what he did this year.

With the individual player awards to be determined in the near future — with voting based on the regular season — debates have been swirling about which players are most deserving of which awards. 

In the case of the Buccaneers, based on their disappointing performance this season, they don't really have any players under serious consideration for any major awards. But one award that I think could be in play, is the comeback player of the year award, with the potential recipient being Chris Godwin.

It's probably a long shot for Godwin, with players like Saquon Barkley, and Geno Smith leading the charge. But there hasn't been a ton of chatter regarding Godwin's candidacy — at least outside of the Bucs organization — and there should be.

Following such a serious knee injury, it wouldn't have been shocking for Chris Godwin to have missed a significant portion of the 2022 NFL regular season. But not only did he play, but he also recorded 104 receptions, 1023 receiving yards, and three touchdowns.

Since the regular season has concluded, both current and former Buccaneers have decided to advocate for Chris Godwin as a worthy candidate for the AP (Associated Press) Comeback Player of the Year. 

Former Buccaneer, and [fingers crossed] future Pro Football Hall of Famer, Ronde Barber, also found some time to state his case for Godwin while doing his weekly Film Session segment for the Buccaneers.

For context, a performance similar to Godwin's this year has earned a receiver the award in the past. in 2017 Keenan Allen won the AP's Comeback Player of the Year award. He did so after recording 102 receptions, 1,393 receiving yards, and 6 touchdowns for the Chargers just one year removed from a torn ACL. Very comparable numbers, with a few more touchdowns. That said, Allen had a significantly longer period of time to rehab his injury before putting up that sort of production. He was injured (ACL) in Week 1 of the 2016 season, whereas Godwin suffered his injury (ACL and MCL) in Week 15 of the previous season (2021). 

Regardless of whether or not Godwin receives many votes for the award, the most important thing is that he's healthy for the Buccaneers, and continuing to round into form as the season moves along.

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With the postseason now upon us, I wouldn't be surprised to see Godwin exceed expectations and take his game to yet another level. After all, that's just what Chris Godwin does. 

For continuing coverage of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, make sure to follow Collin Haalboom on Twitter, and check out the Bucs Banter YouTube channel! 

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Collin Haalboom
COLLIN HAALBOOM

Prior to joining BucsGameday and Sports Illustrated, Collin's written content was provided through Bucs Banter, and NFL Draft Lounge. He is also the creator and host of the Bucs Banter Podcast. He is a graduate of the Communication Studies program at McMaster University, where he was also a varsity basketball player, and later an advanced scout. He lives with his wife and two children in Hamilton, ON. You can follow Collin on YouTube and Twitter.