US Olympian and NFL Veteran Diagnosed with Blood Clots, Training Camp Status in Question
One of the most athletic players in the NFL was recently delivered some “alarming” health news, according to a Friday release from his team.
The Cleveland Browns announced that it had put longtime NFL receiver Marquise Goodwin on the non-football illness list.
The release also noted that Goodwin would miss the start of training camp, but otherwise provided no other timetable for a return.
Goodwin will be missing these foreseeable events because a check-up revealed that he had blood clots in his legs and lungs.
The 32-year-old Goodwin noticed discomfort in his legs and shortness of breath after organized team activities in the spring.
The subsequent check-up revealed the severity of those issues.
Despite the unclear future and the initial shock of the diagnosis, Goodwin appears to be taking the entire episode in stride.
“It was really alarming at first because I’ve experienced injury throughout my career, but it’s never been anything like this that could turn into something detrimental if it’s not taken care of,” Goodwin said, according to the Browns release. “It was frightening at first, but now I’m at ease with it.”
Goodwin cited his faith as another reason he was ready to move forward with his life, regardless of what this health diagnosis ultimately brought.
“I’ve prayed and just given it over to God,” Goodwin said. “It’s out of my control, and the only thing I can control is my effort and attitude and how I approach each day moving forward.”
Goodwin reiterated the issue of “control” later in the release.
“It’s one of those things that is totally out of my control, out of the doctor’s control and out of the trainer’s control,” he said. “It’s really an unfortunate deal we have to deal with, but we need to deal with it in the proper fashion.
“The Browns are doing everything in their power to support me through it by allowing me to be around the team, on the field and in meetings.
“I’m grateful for that, and hopefully this thing gets back under control and I can feel my body and what I need to feel so I can help this team make this run.”
Helping keep Goodwin’s spirits up are his coaches and teammates.
“It’s very scary, and right away you worry about Marquise and his health,” Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski said, according to the team. “All of it remains to be seen from a health standpoint and when he is ready to go. In the meantime, we are supporting him and he is listening to doctors. We are going to support him and give him everything he needs medically.”
“It’s very inspirational,” Browns star receiver Amari Cooper said of Goodwin’s ongoing recovery. “We’re so used to adversity and the ebbs and flows that it creates this toughness about it so that we can deal with anything, or to where we can not know we’re dealing with something really strange or extreme. We feel like we can overcome it.
“So yeah, (what Goodwin is going through) is definitely inspirational. I’m hoping for the best.”
Along with Goodwin’s continued recovery, this year’s Browns team will otherwise focus on turning around last year’s disappointing result.
The team finished last year with a losing 7-10 record, missing the playoffs and finishing dead last in the AFC North — again.
That moribund season was compounded with the lackluster debut of new Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson. The controversial playmaker has been a lightning rod for criticism after a number of women accused him of sexual misconduct.
After the Browns traded a hefty amount of draft capital for Watson (and lavished him with a mammoth contract), the former Clemson star sputtered through six games (he missed most of the year due to suspension over the aforementioned sexual misconduct allegations), passing for a paltry 1,102 yards on a poor 58.2 percent completion rate, and throwing just seven touchdowns to five interceptions.
While Goodwin is currently projecting as the team’s fourth or fifth wide receiver option, the diminutive receiver brings a new element for Watson, adding a dash of speed to a receiving corps better known for route-runners and sure hands.
And “dash of speed” might be underselling it. Goodwin, when healthy, is literally an Olympic-level athlete, as he competed in the 2012 Summer Olympics. Goodwin competed in the long jump competition, representing America.
While it’s unclear how much of training camp, if any, Goodwin will participate in, the Browns will begin their preseason in just a few scant weeks, as they play the New York Jets on Aug. 3.
The Browns then begin their regular season on Sept. 10.
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