Eagles wide receiver Marquise Goodwin opts out of NFL season over COVID-19 concerns

The Eagles WR said his family, including his 6-month old daughter, are the reason why he will not play this year

Blue Telusma |

Jul 29, 2020

This week, Eagles wide receiver Marquise Goodwin announced on social media that he has opted out of the 2020 season due to concerns about bringing the coronavirus home to his wife and infant daughter.

As reported by NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, on Tuesday, Goodwin, 29, said playing the current NFL season was just too risky. The Texas native who has been in the NFL for 8 seasons, spent the last one with the San Francisco 49ers missing the last 7 games with knee and foot injuries.

He signed a 1-year contract with the Eagles earlier this year but explained that after he and his wife, former track athlete Morgan Snow, suffered 3 miscarriages and now have a healthy baby girl, they couldn’t justify doing anything that might pose a risk to their health.

“Three years ago I made a decision that affected my whole life,” Goodwin said. “I chose to leave my wife at the hospital, after prematurely birthing our first baby which resulted in a fatality, to play in a football game,” he explained in a post that has since gone viral.

“I felt like I had to prove to my coaches and new team that I was dedicated to winning and I wouldn’t let anything keep me from that goal, not even my family.”

“The following year in the same month, same week, our lives took another traumatic turn,” he continued, opening up about the grief that comes from repeatedly losing unborn children. “Unfortunately, we ended up losing our twin boys, making it now 3 angel babies that I had to hold and watch as their little heart beats grew more and more faint by the minute, until it stopped. My dream of being a father once again took a huge blow and it hurt deeply.”

“Onward to February 2020, our lives changed for the better, as we finally were blessed to bring home our first living child (rainbow baby). SHE is the reason I am opting out for this season. After choosing football many times, I feel I am inclined to make the right decision by finally choosing my family first,” he concluded.

View this post on Instagram

My little family ? My heart is so full. This is all I could ever asked for. May the lord continue to bless us abundantly ??? Best birthday gift ever!!!

A post shared by Morgan Goodwin (@morgangoodwin) on Jul 26, 2020 at 12:25pm PDT

“It is known the NFL is implementing safety protocols to combat the COVID-19 Pandemic, as well as other professional sporting leagues. I won’t take the chance of experiencing another loss because of my selfish decision making. “

He signed off the lengthy and heartfelt message by promising, “To my new fans in Philly, I promise y’all that it will be worth the wait seeing me in Eagles green. Fly, Eagles, Fly!”

View this post on Instagram

ᴡʜʏ ɪ’ᴍ ᴏᴘᴛɪɴɢ ᴏᴜᴛ ғʀᴏᴍ ᴛʜᴇ 2020 ɴғʟ sᴇᴀsᴏɴ By Marquise Goodwin – husband, father, son, brother, football player @nfl . Before I get into the specifics, hear me out. It is truly a blessing and privilege to be able to play football, a game that I love so much and have been blessed to play since the age of 9. The NFL Organization provides my family and I with many opportunities that wouldn’t have presented itself in other industries. Traveling to several States multiple times a year and internationally to play on foreign soil has allowed me to gain an appreciation for different cultures and a wider world view perspective. The NFL Football organization has allowed me to create a platform I always dreamed of and it allows me to reach numerous people on different stages of life. Three years ago, I made a decision that affected my whole life. I chose to leave my wife at the hospital after prematurely birthing our first baby boy (due to incompetent cervix) which resulted in a fatality, to play in a football game. I felt like I had to prove to my coaches and new team that I was dedicated to winning and I wouldn’t let anything keep me from the goal, not even my family. The following year in the same month, same week, our lives took another traumatic turn. Two weeks after learning her abdominal cerclage was failing, my wife called me shortly after we landed and arrived to our team hotel in Tampa, Florida to inform me she was having painful contractions, and my grandma (who flew up to help take care of Morgan while I would go to work and away games) had to rush her to the emergency room. Here we are again in the same predicament as a year ago, except I was almost 3,000 miles away this time. Anxiety weighed heavily on me because I once again had to decide – will I choose to play a game again like everyone may expect me to, or do I go home and tend to my ailing wife? After much prayer and discussion, I told our team GM that I absolutely had to fly back and take care of my wife, in attempt to honor my wedding vows that I made to both her, myself, and God. He and the 49ers organization… [ᴛᴏ ʟᴇᴀʀɴ ᴍᴏʀᴇ ᴄʟɪᴄᴋ ᴛʜᴇ ʟɪɴᴋ ɪɴ ᴍʏ ʙɪᴏ]

A post shared by MG (@marquisegoodwin) on Jul 28, 2020 at 1:03pm PDT

The Goodwins welcomed a daughter, Marae, on February 19th. The couple has their own YouTube channel, Goodwin SZN, where they share both serious and funny exploits as a millennial couple.

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