Bucs’ Unc.

Joe will never forget the night.

The Bucs were playing the playoff-bound slimy Saints at home during the Dirk Koetter administration in 2017. Chris Godwin was finishing his rookie season in the Week 17 game.

America’s Quarterback, Jameis Winston, ignored a wide ass open Adam Humphries, which would have put the Bucs in easy field goal range in the tie game as the clock ticked toward 0:15. Instead, Jameis heaved the ball down the right sideline where the ball perfectly dropped in the hands of a streaking Godwin for the winning score.

After the game, Joe was talking with Mike Evans in the locker room about Godwin. Evans told Joe that Godwin is a No. 1 receiver and then he began to walk away.

After two or three steps, Evans turned back to Joe and said, “Now don’t you start nothin.'”

Joe had no intention or desire. Joe got where Evans was coming from: Godwin was that good.

Despite what Evans said, folks always looked at Godwin as the other receiver. He was very good but he wasn’t Evans. Now, with Evans gone, Godwin is the Bucs receiver. And the Bucs’ locker room is loaded with “other” receivers.

“It’s been strange being one of the older guys on the team now,” Godwin told Mitch Goldich of SI.com. “Like with [Evans] leaving and Lavonte retiring, it’s like I’m the longest-tenured Buc. I’m like one of the older guys on the team.

“But I still feel like I’m in my 20s, like mentally and physically. It’s a bit strange.”

Despite being the old man in the Bucs’ wide receiver room, Godwin said the younger players make him feel younger.

“They bring such great energy,” Godwin said. “[Outside of David Sills V], everyone is Year 3 or younger. So, bunch of young guys, but a bunch of like highly talented guys that are just like easy to prove themselves.”

Joe knows how much Emeka Egbuka, Jalen McMillan, Ted Hurst and Tez Johnson rave about Godwin being a combination of a big brother and assistant coach. Hurst and Tez each told Joe about how the wide receiver room is always helping each other while watching film.

Joe has to believe part of that dynamic is set by the “Unc” in the room. Godwin.