Marquise Goodwin is one of the few people in the National Football League (NFL) who juggled between playing in the league and being an active track and field athlete. The Olympian won two national college championships in the long jump category and has represented the United States in many international competitions. He is now mostly known for being a part of the NFL where he serves as a wide receiver and kick returner for the Philadelphia Eagles.
Marquise Goodwin is the son of Tamina Goodwin, a cosmetologist. He has a sister named Deja who is 10 months younger. Deja has cerebral palsy and was not expected to live beyond 6 months. She was born three months earlier than expected and underdeveloped. As a result of the neurological disorder, she has no control over her muscles and even though she can see, she is considered legally blind. Deja has been a source of motivation for Marquise in his personal life and career.
He Began His NFL Career With The Buffalo Bills
Before his rookie season, Marquise Goodwin dedicated his NFL career to his sister, saying she is his major source of motivation. The player was raised solely by his mom as his father, who was not married to his mother, was absent from their lives. That’s a story for another day but the absence of a father didn’t deter Goodwin from focusing on his dream of being a professional athlete.
His dream of playing professional American football came to pass in 2013 when he made a four-year pact with the Buffalo Bills; this was after the NFL team drafted him with the 78th overall pick in the third round of the 2013 NFL Draft. His rookie season saw him participate in 12 games for the Bills. He pulled off 17 receptions for 283 receiving yards in addition to 16 kickoff returns for 351 returning yards. The following season and the next were marred with injuries that kept Goodwin out of plays.
Nonetheless, he bounced back in the 2016 season. It was touted as his most productive season since the beginning of his career as he attained 29 receptions for 431 yards and managed 3 touchdowns. Nevertheless, it wasn’t enough to get the Bills to extend his contract, so he joined the San Francisco 49ers.
Exploits With The 49ers And Joining The Philadelphia Eagles
It was sometime in March 2017 that Marquise Goodwin joined the franchise on a two-year deal. He thrived with the team as he attained new career highs of 52 receptions for 962 yards and two touchdowns. It was a remarkable feat that inspired the 49ers to hand him a three-year contract extension that would keep him with the team through the 2012 season.
His family made news in August 2018 when Marquise bought a new house for his mom and sister after he signed the contract extension worth $20 million. Again, that’s a story for another day.
Anyways, he finished the 2018 season with 23 catches for 395 yards and 4 touchdowns. He had an injury that sidelined him in the 2019 season after playing in nine games. His team would reach the Super Bowl LIV which they lost to Kansas City Chiefs and he only managed a touchdown and 12 receptions for 186 yards that season.
April 2020 came and Marquise Goodwin was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles. We can confirm that he was traded for a sixth-round draft pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. He would later make a one-year pact worth $1.35 million with the side.
Marquise Goodwin Is Married To Morgan Goodwin-Snow
Morgan Goodwin-Snow was born on July 26, 1993, in Atlanta, Georgia, and just like her husband, she is also an athlete. Morgan specializes in the 60-meter and 100-meter hurdles and has represented the United States at the international level.
Mrs. Goodwin was a student at Southwest DeKalb High School and upon her graduation, she enrolled in the University of Texas, Austin, where she excelled in her chosen sport. In 2011, she became the USA Junior Olympic Champion and also the AAU Junior Olympic Champion in the 100m Hurdles.
The following year, she won two gold medals at the World Junior Championships in Athletics and followed it up in 2013 by winning that year’s Big 12 Outdoor championships in the 100m Hurdles. In 2015, she also won the Big 12 Indoor championship in the 60m Hurdles. As a college student, she was a 9-time All-American.
Marquise Goodwin and his wife met at the University of Texas where they were both track stars. According to the football player, he knew when he met Morgan that she was the perfect girl because she was in college, she was an athlete and they had the same morals and beliefs.
The couple got married in February 2016 and thus far, their faith and love for each other have kept them strong.
The Couple Had A Hard Time Trying To Build A Family
What would have ended in celebration for the couple turned to sadness when they lost their first baby on November 12, 2017. The baby boy whom the couple would have named Marquise Jr. died after Morgan suffered complications which resulted in premature labour and subsequently, the death of the child.
The incident was heartbreaking for the couple. According to Marquise, having a boy was one thing he wanted more than anything in the world and he would give up his life to have it. He described the incident as “having something that you want more than anything in the world” and having it “stripped away from you.”
Just hours after his baby’s death, the then-San Francisco 49ers’ player took to the field in a game against the New York Giants and scored an 83-yard touchdown. Only two of his teammates knew about his loss and it was after the game that he and his wife let the world in on their pain through a post on social media. The player disclosed that it was his wife who encouraged him to play.
Facing Another Loss Of Twin Baby Boys
While he was with the 49ers in 2018, Marquise Goodwin was away for two games in the season and it was only disclosed that he was tending to personal matters. Later in January 2019, the footballer and his wife explained what had happened.
In a YouTube video, the couple disclosed and detailed how they lost twin boys they were expecting after Morgan suffered pregnancy complications. This happened one year after they lost their first child in premature labour.
Somehow, Marquise and Morgan found the courage to push through their pregnancy losses. They conceived again and it materialized to the birth of their daughter Marae Goodwin on the 19th of February 2020.
