Buccaneers' Chris Godwin Was 'Happy' for Tom Brady When He Announced His Retirement

Godwin reflects on his three seasons playing alongside Tom Brady, the lessons he learned from the quarterback and his time as a Tampa Bay Buccaneer

By

Lizzie Hyman

Published on February 9, 2023 03:47 PM

Tom Brady and Chris Godwin — Photo: Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty

Chris Godwin is going to miss his teammate and friend Tom Brady.

The 26-year-old wide receiver spoke to PEOPLE about the 45-year-old quarterback's retirement announcement, and what life is like as a Tampa Bay Buccaneer.

After being drafted by the Bucs in 2017, Godwin says "I didn't really know what to expect. I didn't know much about Tampa prior to coming down here."

But despite not knowing much about the city before being drafted, Godwin is grateful for his placement. "I'm very fortunate to have been drafted by a great organization and been really fortunate to be able to win the Super Bowl in my first four years here. My experience has been great."

Godwin's great experience in Tampa has not just been on the field, but in the community as well. "One thing I noticed and appreciate about the Tampa community is everyone's commitment to making the community a better place," the wide receiver, who spoke with PEOPLE for his partnership with Hill's Pet Nutrition and PetSmart, says.

Of the many great people Godwin has met during his time in Tampa, one notable person is his former quarterback Tom Brady, whom he spent 3 seasons with.

When discussing his thoughts on Brady's retirement, Godwin says, "I'm the type of person that I feel like people should be free to do whatever they want to do. And I feel like too often with athletes, people tend to scrutinize way more than they should or they forget that we are also people."

Godwin continues, "So when I saw that he retired, I reached out to him and just expressed my gratitude and how happy I was for him because he's a great teammate, he's a great person and a great friend of mine. And I was really grateful for the time that I got to play with him."

Beyond their friendship, Godwin is grateful for the lessons he learned from Brady. "I think I learned a lot about the game of football, but more importantly, just a better understanding of how important relationships are within the game," he tells PEOPLE.

The wide receiver adds, "We don't walk away with too many things in this game, but the relationships and the bonds that you form with your teammates, those are things that can last you a lifetime. And I'm really grateful for that experience that I got with him. And then to top it off, obviously we got a Super Bowl win, so that's something that I'll never forget."

While Brady's time might be over as a Tampa Bay Buccaneer, Godwin has no plans to leave anytime soon. "I've met some really great people," the wide receiver says. He adds, "I stay here in the off-season because who doesn't want to be in Florida in January, February and March? This is a place that we call home."