THONOTOSASSA, Fla. — Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Chris Godwin was the NFL’s leader in touchdowns and receptions until he suffered a dislocated ankle in Week 7 against Baltimore.
Godwin could still attend his foundation’s gala to raise money for his “Most Vulnerable Pets” initiative. In an unpredictable way, his injury positively impacted his foundation, which has raised more than $15,000 since then.
“Honestly, it really touched my heart,” he said. “I think that was probably the thing that I was most encouraged by is the outpouring of love, especially in that way, because they didn’t have to do that. They didn’t have to take their hard-earned money and donate it to our cause. They could’ve just said, ‘Get well soon,’ and that would’ve been the same.”
Over a dozen teammates showed up to support Godwin on Monday night. There’s a small chance he can return to the field for the postseason if those teammates can turn around their 4-4 season.
“I think that’s best-case scenario. The absolute best, if everything lines up,” Godwin said. “That’s what you kind of, like, aim for, and like I said, it’s a very different injury and unique. I’ve mentioned this before, but I trust the people I’ll be working with, because they will help get me back. The biggest thing is they help me make sure it’s secure, make sure it’s strong and stable and there’s not risk to reinjuring it.”
It never crossed Godwin’s mind to cancel or postpone his foundation’s event because of this setback.
After hurricanes Helene and Milton impacted the Tampa Bay region, the event raised funds for local animal shelters to help pets displaced by natural disasters.
“A lot of times, people and their animals get displaced, whether they can’t afford to leave or they have to leave their dog or the dog gets swept away,” he said. “Some shelters are literally filled with dogs that could be in their homes.”
Godwin added that he is doing well in his recovery, and his spirits are high.
While many children have plenty of presents under the Christmas tree, that's not always the case for foster children. ABC Action News reporter Keely McCormick spoke to a 16-year-old who spent most of her life in and out of foster care about life in the system around Christmas.
