He revealed that in the past he decided to leave his wife to play football right after she gave birth; their premature baby boy died, and that tragic incident played a major role in his current decision.
“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 on 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.
“I know the NFL is trying implement safety protocols to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as other professional sporting leagues, but I just can’t chance experiencing another loss because of my selfish decision making. It’s not something I’m willing to live with, so I’ve chosen to opt out of playing during the 2020 NFL season. I must protect my family, and this is the best way for me to do that.”
Goodwin went to Twitter yesterday to acknowledge that he’d gotten “many messages” from “concerned” “fans telling me how stupid I am and that this COVID-19 isn’t that serious.”