With Father’s Day falling over this past weekend, it was the perfect time for a former Nittany Lion to announce a big-time change to his NFL uniform.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Chris Godwin will now have “Godwin Jr.” stitched in his nameplate, as he announced in a letter to fans last week. It’s an ode to both his late father, who died last January, and his six-month-old son, Ace.
Here’s Godwin’s full letter on the change:
As a kid, I enjoyed an amazing relationship with my dad, Rod Christopher Godwin, Sr. From youth football through high school, I always knew that he was there because I would hear him yelling in support of his son. He instilled in me early that I could achieve anything I wanted if I worked hard enough and treated people with respect. I always appreciated and valued the immeasurable impact he had on my life, and I made sure to let him know that every day, not just on Father’s Day. I lost my Pops in January of 2024, and Father’s Day last year was a time of reflection and introspection.
This year, Father’s Day represents a full circle moment in my life journey as I get to celebrate being a first-time dad with my son, Ace. Fatherhood has already been an unbelievable experience and has changed me in so many ways. I can only hope that Ace feels the same way about me as I do about my dad.
As a professional athlete, you are always recognized for the name on the front of your jersey, but I also play for the name that’s printed on the back. That’s why I’ve chosen to add “Jr.” to my name in honor of the man who gave so unselfishly of himself to others and helped mold me into who I am today.
Love you, Pops!
Godwin, 29, was enjoying one of the best years of his eight-year career in 2024 before sustaining a dislocated ankle that ended his season. The injury didn’t stop the Buccaneers from re-upping with the former Penn Stater, though, as he inked a massive three-year, $66 million deal this offseason that could get up to $72 million with incentives.
“I mean, nobody has been more resilient than him. We’ve been down this road before, a similar path with him. Nobody’s been more resilient and works harder than him. So those are the good things,” Bucs GM Jason Licht said this offseason. “And if I were a betting man, I would bet on Chris.”
After becoming a third-round pick in 2017 with Tampa Bay, Godwin has never played anywhere else in his career. The one-time Pro Bowler and second-team All-Pro selection has also won a Super Bowl with the Buccaneers.
The Delaware native was with Penn State from 2014-2016 and is among the program’s all-time great receivers.
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