In their Week 7 game against the Baltimore Ravens, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers lost their star wide receiver Chris Godwin to a potentially season-ending ankle injury in the last minute, resulting in a 41-31 defeat.

With 59 seconds remaining, Godwin dislocated his ankle after being tackled by Roquan Smith. He was unable to stand and had to be transported off the field in an air cast, while ESPN chose not to air a replay of the serious injury.

At the time of his injury, the Buccaneers were down by as much as 24 points in the fourth quarter, with a win probability of only 0.1 percent, according to ESPN Analytics. This raised questions about why Godwin remained in the game.

Todd Bowles, the Buccaneers’ head coach, defended his call to keep Godwin and the starters in the game during a postgame press conference, despite the slim chances of winning.

“He’s a player,” Bowles stated, referring to Godwin. “We’re trying to win the game. We were still down by 10, attempting to score more points and go for an onside kick. [The injury] just happened.”

Bowles noted that the decision was also influenced by the limited number of receivers remaining after Mike Evans was sidelined with a hamstring injury in the first quarter.

“With Mike out, we didn’t have many receivers available,” Bowles explained. “So, we played with what we had.”

However, some may argue that given Evans’ injury and the shortage of receiver depth, Bowles might have had more reason to protect Godwin for their crucial Week 8 game against the Atlanta Falcons, especially as a win seemed less likely.

“You could argue that since he got hurt. We don’t second-guess,” Bowles replied. “We have our players. We’re using everyone we can. It’s unfortunate that the injury occurred, but he’s a football player who wants to play, just like Baker [Mayfield] and everyone else wanted to play.”

Bowles challenged the idea that he neglected Godwin’s safety by allowing him to stay on the field during a critical moment.

“I always protect my players,” Bowles stated firmly. “This decision had nothing to do with keeping him in the game. We still had a chance to score and try to win. Injuries happen. It’s part of football.”

This injury couldn’t have come at a worse time for the Buccaneers, as they are gearing up for an important Week 8 matchup against the Falcons that will play a significant role in determining early dominance in the NFC South.

Godwin, meanwhile, was enjoying one of his best seasons to date, ranking second in the NFL with 576 receiving yards over the first seven weeks. He was set to become a free agent at the end of the 2024 season, and the 28-year-old was expected to attract a lot of interest from teams.

Instead, Godwin faces another lengthy rehabilitation period, while the Buccaneers must continue the season without him.

“Our thoughts are with him,” Bowles said about Godwin. “He’s an incredible player and a wonderful person. It’s a tough situation, and unfortunately, the games will still go on.”

“We need to step up and move forward. But we’re definitely feeling the weight of this loss.”