Baker Mayfield has paid an emotional tribute to Chris Godwin after his Tampa Bay Buccaneers teammate suffered a season-ending injury on Monday night.
The wide receiver suffered a horrific dislocated ankle in the closing stages of the Bucs’ 41-31 loss to the Baltimore Ravens.
It came with about a minute left and Tampa Bay trailing by 10, leading many to slam Bucs coach Todd Bowles for keeping him in the game.
The cart had to be brought out after the 28-year-old had his left ankle get caught under Baltimore linebacker Roquan Smith at the end of a 21-yard reception.
Godwin was crawling on the field following the hit from Smith, and medical personnel put his foot in an air cast once he got into the back of the cart.
Baker Mayfield paid an emotional tribute to Chris Godwin after his season-ending injury
Bucs’ star wide receiver Chris Godwin is carted off the field with his left ankle in an air cast
Speaking afterwards, Mayfield said: ‘It absolutely sucks. Yeah it sucks for our team but Chris deserves better than that.
‘He’s an unbelievable guy, unbelievable teammate.
‘Obviously you guys have seen he’s been playing extraordinary this year. I’ve got a heavy heart right now.’
Godwin is now set to undergo surgery on his dislocated ankle this week and will see a doctor on Tuesday to determine the full extent of the damage, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
It is expected that Godwin will make a full recovery for the start of the 2025 season, but by then he will be a free agent and it is unclear who his next game will be for.
Godwin was immediately in serious pain after suffering the injury with 53 seconds to go
Godwin’s injury was another massive blow on a miserable night for Tampa Bay after they also lost fellow receiver Mike Evans to a hamstring injury.
Evans was the first one to go down, clutching at his right hamstring after failing to hold on to a potential 24-yard touchdown reception with 7:31 left in the first half.
He was able to walk to the locker room under his own power but did not return to the game.
Prior to exiting, Evans only had one catch, a 25-yard TD. Godwin hauled in seven receptions for 65 yards.
In seven games this season, Godwin has 50 receptions for 576 yards and five TDs.
