Marquise Goodwin and the 49ers did something extraordinary Tuesday: Bob Lange and Dan Beckler of the 49ers’ communications staff set up a conference call with Goodwin, who agreed to talk despite his grief.
Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area expressed condolences from team’s beat writers before the call began, and Goodwin shared his story in his first public comments since the passing of his unborn child.
“Never stop believing,” Goodwin said, via Maiocco. “The reward will last longer than the pain. Just because something that you wanted your whole life didn’t quite work out as you planned it to -- a lot of times it’s not supposed to work out how you wanted it to. It will grow you as a person and make you better. And I know my wife and I will be better after this situation.”
Goodwin and his wife, Morgan, lost their baby boy due to complications during pregnancy. Hours later, he played in Sunday’s victory over the Giants, only because his wife insisted.
“Really, it was my wife’s decision,” Goodwin said. “I asked her if she would like me to stay with her, and she insisted that I go play in the game because she felt like my team needed me.
“She knows how I feel about the game and what impact I may have on my teammates and the outcome of the games, so it was solely my wife’s decision.”
Goodwin caught an 83-yard touchdown, his first of the season, and then knelt in the end zone and pointed the football skyward. It was the most meaningful touchdown celebration in the NFL this season.
“I just felt like it was all God in that situation I was able to score a touchdown,” Goodwin said. “And all the pain I was feeling at the time came over me at once.”
Goodwin and his wife are spending the team’s bye week in Texas, grieving with family.
“Morgan and I appreciate all the love we’ve gotten,” Goodwin said. “We do have a lot of people that are following us through our journey, so we can maybe help people who’ve dealt with similar things that we have gone through or learn things from people who’ve been through our situation.”