Bryce Hall Talks Healing, Chris Godwin Injury
June 11th, 2025
So in Week 1 last season, Bucs No. 3 cornerback Bryce Hall was on the field for the defense against the Commanders.
It was his Tampa Bay debut after being signed months earlier as a veteran free agent — and it ended with Hall being carted off with what looked like an air cast on a shattered ankle.
Little did anyone know that six weeks later the same ugliness would come for Chris Godwin late in the Week 7 game against the Ravens.
The duo traveled down a similar rehab road, each with dislocated ankles and broken legs. But it was nothing new for Hall.
He had the same injury during his senior season at the University of Virginia and it cost him a full year before he was cleared to play. By then, Hall had missed Jets rookie camp and training camp, in addition to games.
This time, however, Hall was cleared to play in February, only 5 1/2 months after the Week 1 disaster. The Bucs re-signed him in March.
Talking to Joe yesterday after an interception in Bucs minicamp practice, Hall explained that injuries greatly have improved and evolved the mental and spiritual side of his game. He believes his attitude and faith helped accelerate his current rehab.
Hall says Godwin has had a tremendous mental approach to his rehab, too.
“We talk a lot going back and forth throughout the rehab process. [Godwin has] been such a good dude, just his spirit, his mentality,” Hall said.
Godwin’s injury was 7 1/2 months ago, so he’s on a different recovery track.
Everyone tied to the Bucs hopes Godwin won’t need a one-year rehab like Hall had in college.
“Obviously, Chris kind of had to have a little bit longer because his break was a little bit different than mine, a little bit worse,” Hall said. “But we encourage one another. He told me the other day that seeing me on the field really motivated and encouraged him. We had pretty much the same injury.
“Day 1 when I stepped on the field, [cleared by medical staff] and started running around, that’s kind of when I knew. You never know kind of going into that moment, you know. Obviously, you’ve been rehabbing but you haven’t been able to play live bullets.
Hall said he’s been telling Godwin how special it will be when he can get back on the field — and when they’re on the field together. Maybe even across from each other in training camp.
“For me, I’ll say Day 1 on the field, just moving running around cutting and not thinking about it, that was pretty cool,” Hall said. “And I look forward to that for [Godwin].”
Joe feels great about Hall’s return. He’s a young veteran, 27 years old, who was the Jets’ No. 1 cornerback before Sauce Gardner. If Hall falls into, say, a No. 4 outside cornerback role with the Bucs this season, that should be high-quality depth.
As for Godwin’s timeline, regular readers here know Joe has no confidence in Godwin being ready Week 1. Yesterday, Todd Bowles said he’s waiting on Godwin to be cleared for rehabbing outdoors.
June 11th, 2025 at 12:35 pm
It will be great having Bryce back. I’m guessing he’ll play his normal left side and back up Zyon?
June 11th, 2025 at 12:36 pm
Who os this player? And s he good?
June 11th, 2025 at 12:44 pm
“Cleared to start rehabbing outdoors” = code for cleared to start jogging. (I’m guessing.) Going to be a while yet.
June 11th, 2025 at 12:45 pm
The Chesapeake Bay area seems to be the Bucs’ Achilles heel with ankle in with Baltimore and DC taking out 2 players with dislocated ankles
June 11th, 2025 at 12:48 pm
I expect Godwin to be out a year. I broke my foot very bad and it took me a year to get back to full form. Just keep grinding every single day Chris, take the highs with the lows and you will get back to 100%.
Foot and ankle injuries are a grueling recovery process, I don’t wish it on anyone!
June 11th, 2025 at 12:51 pm
Joe…”No 4 outside corner…..that should be high-quality depth”….
I hear Bobby Bouchet…..”that’s some high-quality H2O”….
June 11th, 2025 at 12:55 pm
Bryce was my under the radar guy last year at this time. Stay healthy and he is starting caliber quality. Not as a nose tackle or a deep zone safety, but an actual guy who covers receivers in pass patterns.
June 11th, 2025 at 1:05 pm
Hall seems to be a good guy. Someone Chris can lean on and draw encouragement from. Again, you gotta love the team camaraderie in this organization.
June 11th, 2025 at 1:14 pm
Expect Godwin back by midseason.
Any earlier will be a bonus, but no reason to try to rush him back prematurely.
June 11th, 2025 at 1:24 pm
Hall and Opeta both coming back. It’s like getting two new FAs. And if Hall can play, what a boost to the DB room. Ben Scott also looks huge.
June 11th, 2025 at 1:31 pm
The CB room is s looking better and better. The Buc’s really needs that room to step up if they want to compete with top tier teams!
June 11th, 2025 at 2:49 pm
I think this depth we already had is why Bowles felt comfortable going Egbuka in round 1.
Remember he said he could field a competitive defense with who he had.
But now, B. Hall is truly fighting for playing time.
Right there with Dean, A. Walker, Jones, Izien, L. Hall, Braswell and even McCollum.
LTFO
June 11th, 2025 at 2:51 pm
Hall was a massive loss for us last season as it turned out.
Think of all those Josh Hayes lost reps… Hall probably mitigates 1/3 of those if not more.
June 11th, 2025 at 4:50 pm
I am mentally preparing myself to not see Chris Godwin until the first game after the bye week. It’s not a prediction, just getting myself ready to be ok with it.
June 11th, 2025 at 11:21 pm
I’d like to see Hall make the roster, would be good to have another vet on the team with all those young guys.
June 12th, 2025 at 12:56 am
awesome, good story here Joe, learned much about this kid, we finally have a decent secondary with decent depth
June 12th, 2025 at 6:29 am
Godwin is a whole different animal Joe.
Sorry and no disrespect to either of them but Godwin is a much bigger piece of the puzzle than Hall. The Bucs are wise to give Godwin all the time he needs and more.
We need him at 100% and we have guys who can fill in while he gets there. Hall is desperately trying to stay on the roster. Don’t blame him one bit for getting back to practice quickly.
Go Bucs!