Marquise Goodwin Awarded for Inspirational and Courageous Play in 2017

With the San Francisco 49ers’ season wrapped up, team awards were handed out on Tuesday. The Len Eshmont Award, the top honor for a 49er player, was given to an ultra-deserving player, wide receiver Marquise Goodwin.

The Len Eshmont Award is given annually to the 49ers player “who best exemplifies the inspirational and courageous play” of the award’s namesake, a running back who played for the original 49ers team in 1946, and scored the team’s first touchdown. Goodwin joins a list of previous winners that includes legendary 49ers like Y.A. Tittle, Joe Montana, Jerry Rice, Steve Young, and Frank Gore. Most recently, it was awarded to Colin Kaepernick following the 2016 season.

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Goodwin dealt with unimaginable loss during the 2017 season. Just hours before the 49ers played the New York Giants on November 12th, Goodwin and his wife, Morgan, lost their newborn son after complications during the pregnancy caused a premature birth. He opened up later about his decision to play, saying that Morgan urged him because she felt that Goodwin’s team needed him.

Before the 49ers’ December 17th tilt with the Tennessee Titans, tragedy struck Goodwin’s family again. In the week leading up to the game, his father also passed away. Goodwin again took the field with his teammates, and just like the last time he did so with a heavy heart, helped lead the 49ers to a victory.

Even while dealing with the extreme emotional circumstances that plagued his personal life, Goodwin was the team’s top receiver through the 2017 season. He finished second on the team with a career-high 56 receptions (Carlos Hyde led with 59), and led the team by a wide margin with 962 receiving yards.

In the game following his son’s passing, Goodwin made an 83-yard touchdown reception that turned out to be the 49ers’ longest play from scrimmage during the season. Even before he reached the endzone, he blew a kiss skyward, then dropped to his knees and looking up with tears in his eyes as his teammates surrounded him.

Overall, he recorded three 100-yard games in 2017, tripling his total from four seasons with the Buffalo Bills. He recorded 10 receptions for the first time in his career against the Titans.

When Jimmy Garoppolo took over as the 49ers’ starting quarterback, Goodwin immediately became his favorite target. In the three games following Garoppolo’s implementation, the fifth-year receiver made 24 grabs for 319 yards. The 49ers’ quarterback praised Goodwin as a “hard worker” that made him feel welcome after a trade brought him over from the New England Patriots late in October.

Goodwin had a legitimate chance at reaching 1,000 yards on the season, but 2017 dealt him one last blow before the New Year rang in. His week 17 game was cut short after Los Angeles Rams’ safety Blake Countess laid a vicious helmet-to-helmet hit on the 49er. Goodwin stayed on the field for a while before being taken off the field and to a hospital.

Despite the scary sight on the field, Goodwin, as he usually is, was in good spirits after the game when it was revealed a concussion was the extent of the damage. He flew home with the team, and said on Monday that he was “feeling wonderful” and could play a game this week if there were a game to be played.

Countess was flagged for unnecessary roughness, and also entered into concussion protocol.

Next: Grades for Win Against Jacksonville

After rattling off five straight wins to finish what looked like a dismal season, the future looks bright for the Garoppolo-led 49ers. With another year on his contract, Goodwin could be a big part of the team again in 2018.