Chris Godwin
This is disturbing but not surprising.
Like most NFL teams, the Bucs can be secretive when it comes to player injuries.
Todd Bowles doesn’t like to share injury details. Buccaneers Ring of Honor general manager Jason Licht isn’t big on it, either. And both are known to clam up tight if it’s an important player or a significant injury. Team Glazer, obviously, doesn’t demand their football decision makers be candid with fans.
Perhaps Joe is misguided, but Joe thinks it’s a safe bet the Bucs wouldn’t lose a competitive edge by detailing publicly — via whatever media vehicle the team chooses — what is going on with Chris Godwin’s fibula or Bucky Irving’s bad shoulder and foot, for example.
The Bucs want fans to buy a player’s jersey, cheer their hearts out for the guy, pay to watch him play and learn his life story through team media. But the player gets hurt and, well, all of a sudden it’s not the fans’ business. Got it.
The Bucs support, via their WFLA-TV partner, something called The Rondé Barber Show. The Tampa Bay legend talks all things Bucs each week and injuries were a topic on today’s episode.
Barber, who works for the Bucs, sort of touched on what he’s learned about key injured players on the roster and speculated on return timelines.
And then he got to Godwin and Irving.
“The ones that worry your are Bucky and Godwin; I can’t get a solid answer what’s wrong with either of them,” Barber said.
Joe is worried, too, Rondé.
Barber did not bring up right tackle Luke Goedeke, who has an undiclosed foot injury. Two high-profile folks at ESPN say he’s done for the season, and Joe is unaware of any correction being issued by the NFL partner.