Randall Godfrey

Randall Euralentris Godfrey (born April 6, 1973 in Valdosta, Georgia) is a former American football linebacker in the National Football League. Godfrey played college football at the University of Georgia, where he majored in housing and consumer economics. He also played High School Football at Lowndes High School in Valdosta Georgia. He was drafted in the 1996 NFL Draft by the Dallas Cowboys with the 49th overall pick. Since then he has also played for the Tennessee Titans and the Seattle Seahawks.

Dallas years

After college, Godfrey was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in the second round of the 1996 NFL Draft.

Although he was drafted to play middle linebacker, the level of skill and the speed he demonstrated in training camp, allowed the Cowboys to move him to strongside linebacker in an effort to put the best players on the field.

Godfrey started the last six games of his rookie season at strongside linebacker replacing Broderick Thomas, and stayed there through the 1998 season.

During the 1998 off-season when he became a restricted free agent, knowing he was coming of a shoulder surgery, the Cowboys gambled by tendering a low contract offer of $429,000, even though a starter, would likely tender more than twice that amount ($935,000). The strategy paid off financially, but it created ill will with Godfrey.

In 1999, he was switched to middle linebacker in an effort to improve the Cowboys run defense, replacing Fred Strickland who was released. That year he lead the team with 81 tackles.

In the 90's, the Cowboys organization felt they could find linebackers through the draft, without the need of paying a premium and adversely impacting the salary cap, so they allowed talented and productive players like Ken Norton Jr., Darren Smith, Dixon Edwards and Robert Jones, to leave via free agency, instead of signing them in to long-term contracts.

During the 2000 free agency period, although Godfrey was firmly entrenched as the Cowboys starting middle linebacker, the Cowboys chose not to match the offer he received from the Tennessee Titans and decided to let Dat Nguyen take over the position.

Godfrey played 4 seasons in Dallas, never missed a game, and recorded 306 tackles, 2 interceptions and 2 quarterback sacks.

Later years

In 2000, Godfrey set a career-high with 169 tackles and made second-team All Pro.

He led the Titans in tackles each of his first two seasons with the team, but after the 2000 season he struggled with injuries. Because of an injured ankle, he started in only five games and played in just eight during the 2002 season.

Even though the Titans reworked his contract, with Godfrey agreeing to take less money. They ended up releasing him for salary cap reasons, at the start of training camp in 2003.

He signed a one-year contract with the Seattle Seahawks, where he started 14 games and had 59 tackles in 2003.

The San Diego Chargers signed Godfrey to a three-year deal in 2004.

After the 2007 NFL Draft, Randall Godfrey was released by the San Diego Chargers.^[1] On August 21, 2007, Washington Redskins coach Joe Gibbs,seeking to rebuild an injury-riddled linebacking corps, talked Godfrey out of retirement^[2][3]. However, Godfrey was not resigned after the season and has since retired.

On October 28, 2007, Godfrey made critical remarks regarding New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick. Following a game in which the Patriots defeated the Redskins 52-7, Godfrey accused Belichick of showing the Redskins "no respect" because the Patriots continued to call deep passing plays despite leading 38-0 entering the fourth quarter.

Belichick defended his play calling, saying "When you're playing defense it's your job to stop them. It's not (the offense's) job to not score."^[4]

Godfrey, originally drafted following his junior year of college, is currently enrolled at the University of Georgia, where he is seeking to complete his degree^[5].

Notes and references