WR Marquise Goodwin (8.29.23)
How great was it to be back today?
“First of all, giving all honors to my lord and savior Jesus Christ for waking me up today and giving me the opportunity. It was great to be back today with the team.”
Marquise, can you take us through just how scary it must have been to find out that you had blood clots? What was that like? What was that moment, that time period like?
“I would say it was more alarming than scary. I’m protected. I’m guided by God, so I really don’t too much fear anything. I know it’s all in his hands, out of my control. But I was kind of alarmed at the news.”
Did you feel ill when this happened?
“I really don’t want to go into too many details about how I felt. I feel great right now, and I think that’s what’s most important. I’m healthy and I’m able to be back on the field, so I’m just happy to be here.”
How good did it feel to be out there? And just what do you imagine your timeline to be in game shape would be now?
“It’s a good question. I’m in shape. In game shape, I would have to play in some games, so we’ll see after I play in the game.”
Coach (Stefanski) is marveling at how locked in you stayed during the time you were away. How were you able to do that?
“Oh, man. Being locked in is a part of my DNA, honestly. And thank you, Coach, for those kind words. It’s just part of my job. I’m a professional player. I’m a professional. And as a professional, you guys are all locked in, you all are out here, you all are looking and getting questions, know what you had to do coming out here. I approach my job the same way.”
Marquise, did you ever doubt that you’d be able to come back?
“No, there was no doubt in my mind. I knew I would come back. That’s why I stayed here every day with a smile on my face, positive attitude, because I knew I was coming back.”
Now, did the doctors guarantee that or you just had that faith?
“Nobody can even guarantee if I’ll be alive tomorrow. You know what I’m saying? Nobody can guarantee anything. Credit to the doctors, though, for all the hard work that they did to help get me back. The trainers, Joe (Sheehan) and his staff did an incredible job in helping me make sure that I was safe every day and to get back in full health.”
I know you don’t want to get into these details, but is there any fear of reoccurrence? I know you’re taking it day by day.
“No fear at all. I fear God. That’s it.”
Are clots treated with medicine basically?
“I guess it depends – it’s person to person. Some people do treat them with medicine, some people do other remedies. However you choose to really go about it. Different cases, different levels for everything.”
You’ve been through this like ten times. So what’s it like when training camp is finally over for you guys and you can start locking in on the season?
“Yeah, eleven times to be correct. But training camp is finally over, ready to get locked into the season. Not a whole lot changes other than the fact it’s live football, live tackling and the stats matter. The wins, losses, they matter.”
You’ve been through so much in your life – so many trials, so many tribulations in your life. With this, do you feel just another thing that you had to deal with and overcome?
“100%. This is just something that I had to deal with and overcome. Another hurdle that I had to jump over. You know what I’m saying? A lot of things that were thrown our way, we had to overcome, and I’m just glad that I was able to.”
I watched you from day one at the Greenbrier just dancing and mentoring your teammates and just laughing and having a good time out there. How important was it for you to present that front to your teammates?
“Did you like my dance moves, first of all?”
Yes, I think I got some on video.
“I love being out there and just having fun. I’m 32, I’ll be 33 in November. And what I found out playing football is that if you don’t have fun with this game, it could be a long, very long year. So just credit to my teammates for embracing me and allowing me to be myself, to come out and smile and just be a happy dude. To dance and sing and do whatever it is that I feel when I’m out on the field as long as I’m taking care of business.”
How difficult is it to kind of maintain that upbeat spirit and everything in the face of adversity like that?
“You ever heard of the term a zebra can’t change its stripes? Man, I don’t know how to not be happy and upbeat. That’s just a part of my genetic makeup. It is what it is. So, I’m not out here faking. That’s why it’s so easy for me to do it every day. I can’t sit out here and pout when something doesn’t go my way. Life hasn’t went my way yet. I’m waiting on God to let me get in charge and do things how I want to do. But if I did, then I probably wouldn’t be here.”
How important is your faith in Christ to get you through all this?
“Hugely important, man. And everything that I do every single day. That’s how I attack each day, following God’s lead.”
You got two weeks until the opener. Do you expect to be out there?
“I expect to be out there. I mean, it’s really up to the staff and the trainers to make sure that I’m ready to be in a position to help the team. I can say that I’m ready and do all of these things, but until they give me the go ahead, it’s really up to them.”
Are there any medical hurdles you need to still clear?
“I think that’s a question that will be answered over time. I don’t know. It’s just day-to-day right now. We’re just dealing with today. It’s my first day of practice. I barely made it through practice.”
I know you’ve done this eleven times now, but because of what you went through this summer, did that first route today feel a little more special?
“It did feel special. Even though I had been running routes.”
Catching the ball and all of it?
“I’ve been catching it and everything, just on my own time. But don’t tell Coach that. But yeah, it definitely felt good to get it from the quarterback, for sure.”
Now, Marquise, I’ve watched you also spend a lot of time with Cedric Tillman. I see him picking your brain and you guys are working on things when he comes off to the sideline. How important was that for you to impart some of that wisdom on young guys like that?
“I’m naturally a big brother. I’m the oldest of twelve kids, so it’s like I’ll be doing myself a disservice if I didn’t say something to him that I saw that would make him better. I just try to embrace any guy that is willing to listen. I’ve been around the game and seen some things, so I just give what I can and thank you to Ced and guys like him who have embraced that in me and listened and taken on the things that I’ve given them.”
Now that you can look ahead to the season and just football in general, what has you most excited about being with this group and what you guys might be able to accomplish together?
“I’m most excited just about playing football again, honestly. It’s a game that I’ve been playing since I was nine years old. I remember my first time being on the field and just having jitters. Not nervous or anything, but really just high anxiety and the thrill to want to play, you know what I’m saying? Once you kind of have a lackluster feeling, you don’t really attack your job the same way. So, I’m just really appreciative that I have that feeling playing on this team this year. And I’m excited. Every day that I step out here, I’m turned up, I’m ready to just go. And I just want to continue to feel like that nine-year-old boy who stepped that first day on the football field.”
Would you want to be a coach someday when you eventually retire?
“Man, wherever God leads me, you know what I’m saying? I got a lot of plans in life. Shoot, I plan on being a billionaire, but I don’t know how I’m going to get there. I don’t know how I’ll get there. But if that’s where God leads me, that’s what I’ll be.”
How about this offense? You had a different view of it from the sidelines for most of training camp. So, what are you seeing, and how good can it be?
“I think the offense has no ceiling. Obviously, we have some things and some areas that we can get better in. I’m glad that we haven’t arrived yet and defined ourselves yet, so I’m excited to see where we can take it. Just keep getting better every day. Not putting the cart before the horse, you know what I’m saying? Just taking it one day at a time and just focusing in together and getting better.”
Do you feel like your perspective has changed at all heading into the season, going through what you’ve been through?
“I’m just more grateful. I think my perspective has changed in that sense. Just more grateful for life, more grateful for opportunity, because it could have very well ended. It could have been my last play in minicamp, so I’m glad just to be back on the field for real.”
What have you seen in Elijah Moore throughout this camp?
“Electric. I mean, fast hands, routes, just ready to go. And I’m excited to see what he’ll do this year, for sure. I’m glad we got him.”
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