The Real-Life Diet of Buccaneers Receiver Chris Godwin, Who Broke Out After Cutting Dairy and Gluten
Talking to the wideout about changing his diet, the cake he has after every touchdown, and what he's learned about eating from Tom Brady.
BY CHRISTOPHER CASON
December 3, 2020
Chris Godwin progressed nicely in his first two seasons in the NFL, but also dealt with a big problem: The receiver was experiencing persistent stomach pains that often made it difficult to even practice. After consulting several doctors, during his third season the team dietician looked deeper into what Godwin was eating and advised him to cut out gluten and dairy. Now, nobody's saying that's all it took, but eliminating of those foods (and the pain) helped Godwin to a breakout 2019 season, when he finished with 86 receptions, 1,333 receiving yards, and nine touchdowns.
The shake-up this season has been the arrival of Tom Brady to Tampa—the man even the haters have to admit is probably the greatest quarterback of all time. And while not everything has gone smoothly (the team is so far not the juggernaut some predicted, Godwin battled injuries in October), the team has a winning record and a good shot at making the playoffs.
GQ caught up with Godwin to discuss altering his diet, fueling for game day and the added incentive he gives himself to reach the end zone.
GQ: What do your typical meals look like on game day?
Chris Godwin: In the morning, I like to have the same thing, no matter what day it is, so my body is aware of what’s coming. I like having that consistency. I’ll have a Vans gluten-free waffle, chicken sausage from Whole Foods and whatever type of potatoes that the facility offers. I’ll pair those with some bananas and strawberries. For the pre-game meal, it’s a couple of pieces of salmon, a little bit of grilled chicken with some brown rice and broccoli. I don’t want my body to have to wonder what it’s digesting right before a game. For post-game, it varies. I’ll come home and it’s usually a Daily Harvest meal. I like to cook them on the skillet because I like it a little crispy. I like the sweet potato and wild rice hash bowl—I’ll add some grilled chicken from the fridge. That’s like a nice little ending to my night as I start my recovery for the next day.
The pandemic disrupted almost all of the normal offseason prep that teams do. Has that impacted things from a routine and physical standpoint for you?
I would say that it’s evident across the league that the lack of an offseason program and a traditional training camp has affected a lot of guys. You can see that with some of the injuries. I know for myself, it definitely impacted me—just in terms of getting into your normal flow. Your body gets used to a certain amount of time and preparation before you get to the full force of NFL games. It has been tough but, at the same time, we’re all going through it. It’s not like any one team is more disadvantaged than the other.
You recently had to cut gluten and dairy out of your diet after years of dealing with stomach pains. When did you make that change?
I was going through that a lot before last season. I made that switch during last season—it took my body a little while to adjust to get back in order, but I really started to see the benefit of making the change this offseason and going into this year.
Did you feel an immediate difference in terms of how you felt in workouts and with training?
It was a relatively quick and noticeable. I know one thing is for certain, whenever I would eat those foods, I would immediately know that it was wrong for me. After cutting those foods out and allowing my body to have some time to adjust, it probably took about a week and a half for it to feel normal.
How long did you deal with that discomfort?
Probably since college. It just presented itself as discomfort and I feel like as a society, we’re so used to feeling like we can eat whatever we want to. If you have a little bit of discomfort, that’s normal—everyone goes through it. In reality, you’re not supposed to have discomfort after you eat, and I had to realize that the hard way. My fiancé had been telling me that for a while and it really took for me to go through it to decide to make a change.
What were some foods you enjoyed before making the switch that you wouldn’t even touch now?
Pizza. I always enjoyed burgers. And I’m a big fan of carbs—that includes pastas and breads. I’ve had to take a different approach to the foods I loved. I’ve had to also stay away from a lot of them. The ones I really loved? I’ve found alternative ways to enjoy them.
Are you someone who has your meals down to the specific times when you’re eating?
Yes and no. It’s not exactly at specific times but it is during general times of the day. Before, I would eat breakfast and then eat whenever I got hungry again. What would happen is I would be under-fueled without even noticing it. Around the time that I made the switch, I really started focusing on eating at the same time a day, so my body knows what to expect. When I wake up in the morning now, I’m eating breakfast and before I leave out to practice, I’m going to have a snack or another meal to provide me with the nutrients to go out there and perform.That’s been pretty pivotal for me, especially this year with making the switch away from gluten and dairy. In terms of me eliminating those things from my diet, the hardest thing was finding meals that would not only help me but that I would like. It took me a while to find things that I like. My fiancé introduced me to Daily Harvest—I gave it a shot and it was really good. They have options that are gluten and dairy free, so that’s really dope for me. It’s also really easy to make.
What’s the typical cheat meal in the Godwin household?
There is a dessert that my fiancé makes whenever I score a touchdown. Last year I had a good amount of them. She calls them “Touchdown Treats.” I know if I score, she’s already getting the oven ready and I get hyped. It’s like a triple-layer cake. The bottom layer is sugar cookies. The middle layer is gluten-free golden Oreos and the top layer is like a crumb cake. It’s all baked together in a nice little pastry. As soon as I score a touchdown, I’m on the sidelines thinking I can’t wait to get my treat tonight!
As much as you’re learning from Tom Brady on the field, are you studying the things he’s doing to keep his body game ready at 43?
I think the biggest thing that I’ve noticed is you never see him putting bad things in his body. They have a bunch of different options around the building and guys who aren’t as conscious about what they put into their bodies might go and get some cookies or something indulgent. Whenever I watch what he’s doing, he’s always putting good things in his body. He talks about it all the time about how consistent you have to be in everything that you do, and I can see that with his diet and his routine off the field.
Talking to the wideout about changing his diet, the cake he has after every touchdown, and what he's learned about eating from Tom Brady.
BY CHRISTOPHER CASON
December 3, 2020
Chris Godwin progressed nicely in his first two seasons in the NFL, but also dealt with a big problem: The receiver was experiencing persistent stomach pains that often made it difficult to even practice. After consulting several doctors, during his third season the team dietician looked deeper into what Godwin was eating and advised him to cut out gluten and dairy. Now, nobody's saying that's all it took, but eliminating of those foods (and the pain) helped Godwin to a breakout 2019 season, when he finished with 86 receptions, 1,333 receiving yards, and nine touchdowns.
The shake-up this season has been the arrival of Tom Brady to Tampa—the man even the haters have to admit is probably the greatest quarterback of all time. And while not everything has gone smoothly (the team is so far not the juggernaut some predicted, Godwin battled injuries in October), the team has a winning record and a good shot at making the playoffs.
GQ caught up with Godwin to discuss altering his diet, fueling for game day and the added incentive he gives himself to reach the end zone.
GQ: What do your typical meals look like on game day?
Chris Godwin: In the morning, I like to have the same thing, no matter what day it is, so my body is aware of what’s coming. I like having that consistency. I’ll have a Vans gluten-free waffle, chicken sausage from Whole Foods and whatever type of potatoes that the facility offers. I’ll pair those with some bananas and strawberries. For the pre-game meal, it’s a couple of pieces of salmon, a little bit of grilled chicken with some brown rice and broccoli. I don’t want my body to have to wonder what it’s digesting right before a game. For post-game, it varies. I’ll come home and it’s usually a Daily Harvest meal. I like to cook them on the skillet because I like it a little crispy. I like the sweet potato and wild rice hash bowl—I’ll add some grilled chicken from the fridge. That’s like a nice little ending to my night as I start my recovery for the next day.
The pandemic disrupted almost all of the normal offseason prep that teams do. Has that impacted things from a routine and physical standpoint for you?
I would say that it’s evident across the league that the lack of an offseason program and a traditional training camp has affected a lot of guys. You can see that with some of the injuries. I know for myself, it definitely impacted me—just in terms of getting into your normal flow. Your body gets used to a certain amount of time and preparation before you get to the full force of NFL games. It has been tough but, at the same time, we’re all going through it. It’s not like any one team is more disadvantaged than the other.
You recently had to cut gluten and dairy out of your diet after years of dealing with stomach pains. When did you make that change?
I was going through that a lot before last season. I made that switch during last season—it took my body a little while to adjust to get back in order, but I really started to see the benefit of making the change this offseason and going into this year.
Did you feel an immediate difference in terms of how you felt in workouts and with training?
It was a relatively quick and noticeable. I know one thing is for certain, whenever I would eat those foods, I would immediately know that it was wrong for me. After cutting those foods out and allowing my body to have some time to adjust, it probably took about a week and a half for it to feel normal.
How long did you deal with that discomfort?
Probably since college. It just presented itself as discomfort and I feel like as a society, we’re so used to feeling like we can eat whatever we want to. If you have a little bit of discomfort, that’s normal—everyone goes through it. In reality, you’re not supposed to have discomfort after you eat, and I had to realize that the hard way. My fiancé had been telling me that for a while and it really took for me to go through it to decide to make a change.
What were some foods you enjoyed before making the switch that you wouldn’t even touch now?
Pizza. I always enjoyed burgers. And I’m a big fan of carbs—that includes pastas and breads. I’ve had to take a different approach to the foods I loved. I’ve had to also stay away from a lot of them. The ones I really loved? I’ve found alternative ways to enjoy them.
Are you someone who has your meals down to the specific times when you’re eating?
Yes and no. It’s not exactly at specific times but it is during general times of the day. Before, I would eat breakfast and then eat whenever I got hungry again. What would happen is I would be under-fueled without even noticing it. Around the time that I made the switch, I really started focusing on eating at the same time a day, so my body knows what to expect. When I wake up in the morning now, I’m eating breakfast and before I leave out to practice, I’m going to have a snack or another meal to provide me with the nutrients to go out there and perform.That’s been pretty pivotal for me, especially this year with making the switch away from gluten and dairy. In terms of me eliminating those things from my diet, the hardest thing was finding meals that would not only help me but that I would like. It took me a while to find things that I like. My fiancé introduced me to Daily Harvest—I gave it a shot and it was really good. They have options that are gluten and dairy free, so that’s really dope for me. It’s also really easy to make.
What’s the typical cheat meal in the Godwin household?
There is a dessert that my fiancé makes whenever I score a touchdown. Last year I had a good amount of them. She calls them “Touchdown Treats.” I know if I score, she’s already getting the oven ready and I get hyped. It’s like a triple-layer cake. The bottom layer is sugar cookies. The middle layer is gluten-free golden Oreos and the top layer is like a crumb cake. It’s all baked together in a nice little pastry. As soon as I score a touchdown, I’m on the sidelines thinking I can’t wait to get my treat tonight!
As much as you’re learning from Tom Brady on the field, are you studying the things he’s doing to keep his body game ready at 43?
I think the biggest thing that I’ve noticed is you never see him putting bad things in his body. They have a bunch of different options around the building and guys who aren’t as conscious about what they put into their bodies might go and get some cookies or something indulgent. Whenever I watch what he’s doing, he’s always putting good things in his body. He talks about it all the time about how consistent you have to be in everything that you do, and I can see that with his diet and his routine off the field.
