“Sorry for Your Loss” – Buccaneers Pay Tribute to Tragic Death of Super Bowl LV Champion Chris Godwin’s Father as He Pens Down a Touching Note

Chris Godwin lost his hero. The NFL world and the entire Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ family are emotionally present for wide receiver Godwin. The athlete shared an emotional post in the memory of his beloved father, Rod Godwin Sr. who recently passed away.

The news of Chris Godwin’s father’s demise comes after another heartbreak for the 27-year-old. Godwin, who had a decent season with the Bucs, lost the divisional round game against the Detroit Lions by 8 points. There are not many details available about his parents except for their names. Rod Godwin Sr.’s cause of death is also not known yet.

Chris Godwin recalls the good old days with his dad

To honor his father, Godwin, in an emotional tribute, posted a long note for his old man on Instagram. Godwin also shared a series of heartwarming pictures of him and his father. In one vintage photo, Rod can be observed cradling an infant (Godwin Jr.) in his arms. This particular photo appears to capture the athlete’s birth moment in a hospital, as the photo depicts the date & time of Chris’ birth: “2-27-96 & 3.00 p.m.”

The other photos showcase his father and Godwin, spending quality time at family gatherings. Notably, one photo captures a special and emotional hug shared between the father and the son. Chris supported these pictures with a long note for his father. He wrote, “Rifle, I love you man.” Referring to him as a lovable father, Godwin recalled listening to their favorite Sinatra music together.

Godwin also reminisced about their shared moments, from listening to sports talk radio to his father being a “hero” during his upbringing. He credited his father for instilling in him a belief that “I could accomplish my dreams. Whatever I was interested in, you nurtured those dreams and fully supported me. I’ll never forget you screaming “HALF MAN, HALF MONSTER, THE MANSTER!” at all of my games at each level I played at.”

Godwin further acknowledged the tools provided by his father’s love and work ethic, essential for reaching his goals. He expressed gratitude for the joy, laughter, hugs, and lessons shared. Despite the pain and void left by his father’s passing, Godwin seemed to have found solace in knowing his father was at peace. He concluded with an emotional farewell note that read, “We miss you and will continue to miss you. I’ve always been and will always be damn proud to be your son. Rest easy Pops 143 (an abbreviation of ‘I Love You’).” The comment section was instantly flooded with condolences from his teammates and others.

To mention a few, Cade Otton (TE), Devin White (LB), and Rachaad White (RB), all poured in their condolences with love and prayers. His team, the Bucs also supported Godwin in his tough times, commenting, “Your Bucs fam is here for you, @chrisgodwin. Sending love to you and your family ♥️🙏.” Even Rob Gronkowski, the former teammate of Godwin, wrote, “Love you Godwins.” Even the Bears QB, Trace McSorley, said, “Praying for you brotha! Sorry for your loss 🙏🏻”.

Rod Godwin Sr.’s family hasn’t disclosed the details about his death yet. But it’s definitely a nightmare to lose a parent, and Godwin is dealing with that rough phase. However, he is happy to remember the golden memories in which his father was present, and one special moment was the Super Bowl 2021.

Rod Godwin Sr. always believed in his son’s career

Godwin Sr. moved from Delaware to Philadelphia so his children could live freely. Rod Godwin always believed in his son and told his coach that the young wide receiver would become a star one day. The Bucs 2020-2021 season was phenomenal as they signed the legendary Tom Brady as their new quarterback. Chris Godwin was one of the top receivers of Brady during that time.

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On the first play of the Super Bowl, Godwin caught a short pass from Brady, making an immediate impact, which eventually contributed to winning the Super Bowl with 31-9 against the Kansas City Chiefs. As per stats, “Godwin caught 2 passes for 9 yards, and led the Bucs in receiving yards in the postseason with 233 yards.”

This victory made his father and the entire family proud. Ahead of this Super Bowl game in 2021, Godwin Sr., in an interview with 6abc, stated, “It’s cool to see him play. He’s always wanted to do it.” Interestingly, in 2019, the father-son duo attended the Super Bowl as spectators.

As they entered, he told his father that being there gave him chills, and he hoped to play in the Super Bowl one day. Now, when he got to live this dream in 2021, Godwin Sr. mentioned that his son sent him a text saying, “Dad this is everything I thought it would be.” Rod Godwin  Sr. is survived by his wife Lisa Godwin and three children. Chris has a younger sister, Rina Godwin. He also has an older half-brother Marcus, and another older half-sister Sharahonda.

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