Joe Buck found himself in an unwanted position during Monday night’s showdown between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Baltimore Ravens. With just 1:20 left on the clock and the Bucs trailing by 10 at their own 18-yard line, Buck felt it was time to accept defeat. “You want to get out here and live to fight another day,” he observed during the live broadcast.
When Bucs quarterback Baker Mayfield completed a challenging third-and-17 to Chris Godwin, hope flickered briefly, but it was extinguished when Godwin collapsed with a severe injury. The heartbreaking news soon followed—Godwin had dislocated his ankle and was likely facing season-ending surgery.
Head Coach Todd Bowles held firm in his choice to keep fighting. Even against mounting odds, he argued there was still a shot at a miracle play. Buck, with his decades of game-calling experience, saw it differently, suggesting it might have been wiser to either run the ball or take a knee.
“I’d rather be wrong,” Buck confessed, expressing his sincere empathy for the widely respected Godwin. Despite understanding Bowles’ perspective, Buck couldn’t shake the concern given the physical intensity of the game. Watching Mike Evans exit earlier with a hamstring injury only compounded his apprehension.
Following their 41-31 loss to the Ravens, questions emerged about Bowles’ decision to keep Godwin on the field. Bowles stressed his commitment to competing until the very end, despite the risks. For Buck, leaving the booth was bittersweet, shadowed by the weight of Godwin’s injury.
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