As NFL fans struggled to comprehend why Chris Godwin and other Tampa Bay Buccaneers stars were still on the field late in a likely un-winnable game, Monday Night Football announcer Joe Buck gave voice to those concerns on the call. Soon after, the worst-case scenario played out as Godwin suffered an ugly ankle dislocation in the final moments of a Bucs loss.
While Bucs head coach Todd Bowles struggled to explain why Godwin was still playing and fans scratched their heads, Buck was left speechless at his own foresight.
In an interview with The Athletic’s Andrew Marchand two days later, Buck explained his reaction to the play.
“I’d rather be wrong,” Buck said. “I would rather nothing had happened. Not that anybody is different than anybody else, but Godwin is one of the really great guys in the league.”
Of course, it’s easy in hindsight to regret giving an opinion when it foreshadows something gruesome. Buck stood by his words.
“None of these guys, none of these head coaches, want to look like they’re giving up on a game, but from where I sat at that moment, it was a really physical game that whole night,” Buck told The Athletic.
Regardless, Buck isn’t taking a victory lap.
The play may serve as a cautionary tale to other coaches chasing victory from the jaws of defeat. But Buck isn’t happy to be right.
“You kind of feel sick that happened,” Buck said.
Different play-by-play voices carry different perspectives on the sort of context Buck provided before Godwin’s injury. Some opt to lay back and simply recount the game, leaving the opinions to their analyst.
Buck has never worked that way. He wants to make the viewer aware of the stakes and context of the moment. Sometimes, that is the history of a big MLB postseason hit. Other times, it is the risk of personnel decisions late in a loss on MNF.
At the end of the day, it’s Buck’s job to tell the story of the game. He couldn’t have known Godwin would be hurt and it’s an unfortunate thing to see coming. But the injury confirms that Buck’s read on that moment was in fact the right one.
About Brendon Kleen
Brendon is a Media Commentary staff writer at Awful Announcing. He has also covered basketball and sports business at Front Office Sports, SB Nation, Uproxx and more.