Chris Godwin, Todd Bowles Talk Outside Noise
August 14th, 2026
Tenth-year Bucs receiver Chris Godwin thinks Tampa Bay is a lot better than people think.
“A lot of the world is like sleeping on us. But like, good; you’re not winning a championship on paper anyway,” Godwin said.
Godwin dropped his commens on 4th And South.
Media and fan chatter is heard by players and Godwin says he’s got plenty of examples of them getting it wrong — because the Bucs weren’t clicking properly from the inside out.
“Like 2022, right, everybody [was saying], ‘Julio Jones, me, Leonard Fournette, Mike Evans; they like, ‘Yo, the Bucs are going to do it again. Like one last time for Tom.’ We came out there and was trash,” Godwin said of Todd Bowles’ first season as head coach.
“We weren’t together. When we were playing on the field, it wasn’t clicking. And it’s like, it don’t matter what you have on paper. If you got the right guys in the locker room and everyone has the same belief — and you work your ass off — there’s no telling the heights you’ll reach.”
The roster is big reason Godwin is high on this year’s Bucs. The makeup is right, he says.
“So I like the guys we have in this locker room,” Godwin said. “We got a bunch of versatility on offense and defense. But now we just got to put the work in; that’s where the sh*t come down to.”
“The interesting thing about this team is that we don’t have anybody that’s like super-egotistical. Everybody is like for the unit. … If you want to be a great team, you need that.”
Bowles often says publicly the Bucs are not giving any time to media and fan commentary. But he knows that’s inaccurate, Bowles told Joe in a 1-on-1 chat Wednesday. The head coach says putting out the ‘we-don’t-care’ message reflects what’s happening inside One Buc Palace when the team is working.
“I mean, as a player, you’re going to pay attention to the outside noise. I played. I get it,” Bowles said. “I understand it. And it fuels some of them. As a coach, you try to keep everybody on a straight path and go the same way. We’re practicing the right way. We’re preparing the right way. If we stay healthy, we feel like we’ll be a team to be reckoned with.”
The Bucs wilted last season after a 6-2 start that had the NFL talking about them as a championship contender. There are many reasons, but was the outside noise too much? Was that a reason? That’s unclear.
In the prior three seasons, the Bucs nosedived after strong starts, only to revive later in the season.
Noise or no noise (and the Bucs are the betting favorite in the NFC South) the Bucs must figure out how to play consistent football in the face of what will be intense media scrutiny all season — thanks to the statuses of the pending quarterback and the hot-seat head coach.
August 14th, 2026 at 3:21 pm
Hearing it from Chris is a lot more credible than hearing it from Bowels.
August 14th, 2026 at 3:26 pm
It was refreshing to read what Chris Godwin said about Brady’s last year (2022) with us; it’s not everyday you read a player saying ‘We came out there and was trash’. Probably why we went 8-9 that year?
Also love everything that Chris said about this year’s team, and especially that ‘we don’t have anybody that’s like super-egotistical’. Mayfield’s & Vea’s contract disputes don’t help the cause any, but the season’s still a month off & anything can happen between now & then. I’m still convinced we could go 10-7 & win the NFC South, but as we saw last season, staying healthy makes a HUGE difference. But then again, so could adding a quality veteran starting caliber CB to ease the concern with our Secondary a little bit.
August 14th, 2026 at 3:45 pm
Half glass full aways , Im stoked !!! LFG
August 14th, 2026 at 4:01 pm
I’m very excited to Godwin to be a true number 1!
Feed CG early and often!
We don’t need to worry about Mikes 1000 yards this year or keeping him happy.
We can focus on Chris Godwin this year. He’s earned it
He gave up 20 million from the Patriots to stay with us.
He’s always accepted his role as 1-B.
He always blocks the best he can
Chris Godwin could lead the NFL in receptions and yards this year!
LFG!
August 14th, 2026 at 4:03 pm
Counting on Morrison, and Zyon this season is as foolish as counting on David, Dennis was last season. Neither were good enough. I have no faith in Morrison, and if Zyon isn’t back at practice Monday it’s panick time.
August 14th, 2026 at 4:15 pm
“The interesting thing about this team is that we don’t have anybody that’s like super-egotistical. Everybody is like for the unit. … If you want to be a great team, you need that.”
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Chris is THAT MAN and now that were not having to keep Mike happy and pad his stats he can take his rightful place as the leader (and mentor) of the WR room.
August 14th, 2026 at 4:24 pm
I had high win projections for last year and the start looked good and then shart the bed took hold. Hope the higher win translates to this year but winning in the season only gets you in the dance. Make your noise there.
August 14th, 2026 at 4:43 pm
The Elephant in the room is clearly a secondary that is no better, and quite possibly worse. Ditto on the coaching staff outside of the new ST coach.
As far as no one having an ego and yada yada.. that stuff has been talked about for years around this club. Maybe we need some players with a little edge. The kumbaya club ain’t getting it done.
August 14th, 2026 at 4:51 pm
To quote Byron…..”we be what we be… and we is what we is”
“
August 14th, 2026 at 5:22 pm
chris can have a big year any year he is healthy, this could be a great one for him.
he deserves it for the work he has put in to get back where he is.
August 14th, 2026 at 5:28 pm
Defense Rules, could be the year that the defense gives you something to be fired up about. I certainly hope so! It’s been a while. As for Godwin, it’s why I wear his jersey on game days!
August 14th, 2026 at 6:38 pm
I wonder if that egotistical comment was a coded jibe at Mike Evans…
August 14th, 2026 at 6:50 pm
Can’t believe he’s been here 10 years already
August 14th, 2026 at 7:12 pm
Two things caught my attention. Admitting they were trash year 1 Bowles. Not a great compliment for Bowles and proof that he and Leftwich were really not qualified. So why did Arians hire them and keep them? Hmmm.
Second. No egos this year. Well, who left? Hmmm.