Goodwin’s NFL career spans 12 seasons. He began as a fringe player, bouncing through practice squads before stints with the Atlanta Falcons and Arizona Cardinals. He joined the Cowboys in 2018 and quickly established himself as a special-teams ace, contributing in 2,221 snaps on special teams and just 62 on defense across his time in Dallas. Notably, he did not record defensive playing time last season, even as the Cowboys’ secondary battled injuries. This pattern underscored the evolving dynamic of the team and the likelihood that a change was on the horizon for Goodwin.
CJ Goodwin’s ascent from a fringe NFLer to a Cowboys stalwart is a compelling story. He played only one high school football season at Linsly High School in West Virginia and initially attended Bethany College to pursue basketball. His path to football truly began after transferring to Fairmont State and later to California University of Pennsylvania. In college, he once worked on a farm owned by Hall of Fame defensive back Mel Blount. When he asked Blount for a tryout with the Steelers—Blount’s longtime team—Blount called the general manager, and Goodwin earned a chance to prove himself. He impressed during his tryout, earned a spot in camp, and began forging a career in the NFL.
The departure of Goodwin places additional pressure on the Cowboys’ special-teams unit, led by coordinator Nick Sorensen. The unit had an up-and-down 2025 season, with kick coverage concerns intensifying as the year progressed. Goodwin’s knowledge and experience will be missed, and the club will look to fill the void with players who can contribute on return, kicking, and protection phases. Sorensen, who took over as special-teams coordinator in 2025, faced questions about his tenure after the season. While team leadership affirmed that Sorensen would return, the organization emphasized a desire to improve the unit, noting the value of reliable specialists—returner, punter, kicker, and snapper—as a foundation for stronger special-teams performance.
The transition underscores a broader NFL reality: even established special-teams players can become expendable as teams recalibrate their rosters, especially when younger players ascend or when broader defensive or offensive strategies shift. For Goodwin, the next chapter remains unwritten. He will likely consider teams that can leverage his veteran leadership and unique experience as a core contributor on special teams.
In the broader context, Goodwin’s career highlights the resilience required to sustain a long NFL journey. From limited high school playing time to a roster-stable NFL career, his path demonstrates how perseverance, opportunity, and mentorship can converge to produce a durable role on a team. His story serves as a reminder of the importance of special teams in the modern game and how a single player’s consistency can help anchor a unit through coaching changes and roster turnover.
As for the Cowboys, the focus will be on restocking and refining a special-teams group that can deliver reliable field position, coverage, and returns. The team will look to integrate younger players who can absorb and expand on the lessons learned from Goodwin’s tenure, while continuing to develop a cohesive unit that can adapt to the demands of a competitive NFL season.
