Hunter Goodwin
Encyclopedia
Hunter Goodwin is a former professional American football
tight end
.
to Texas A&M
in 1993. While in Kingsville, he was a Lone Star Conference
award recipient as a tight end. He walked on to the Texas A&M football team and soon received a full scholarship. He played as an offensive tackle for the Aggies for two years where he was an All-Southwest Conference pick, second team All-American, and GTE
Scholar Athlete. Throughout his college career, he received All-Conference honors at two different schools at two different positions. Goodwin graduated from Texas A&M with a degree in agricultural economics.
as a tight end
. He played as a tight end in the NFL for nine years: five with Minnesota, and three with the Miami Dolphins
. Although he signed with Atlanta
in March 2004, he was forced to retire four months later due to a hip injury. While in the NFL, he served as Team Captain in the 1999 and 2000 seasons. He was also an NFL Players Representative for three years, a 2002 USA Today All-Joe
pick, and a spokesman for several commercials, including a nationally-televised Snickers
commercial. Goodwin was also a draft day commentator for various Austin, Texas
media outlets.
While Goodwin logged only 37 catches and two touchdowns throughout his pro career, he was known more for his blocking abilities. Goodwin was picked up by the Miami Dolphins in 1999 while he was a restricted free agent by then head coach, Jimmy Johnson
. Johnson paid for him to come in and improve their running game, and Goodwin did. A high point in his career came in 2000 when Merril Hoge
dubbed Goodwin as "the best blocking tight end in the league" in one of his ESPN
commentaries. Many believe that 2000 was Goodwin's best year. Hoge went on to say that Goodwin can easily handle any defensive end with no help drastically improving the offensive line. When Goodwin was awarded the "All Joe" pick, his teammates were quoted as saying that he is the sixth offensive lineman.
foundation in Miami, and Special Olympics
. He has a first cousin who was diagnosed with cerebral palsy
, and Goodwin has been quoted as saying, "if only all kids could be as smart and well adjusted as he is"). Goodwin participated each year in the Miami Dolphins Fishing Tournament in which the proceeds are used to help the Cystic Fibrosis foundation. Goodwin, an avid outdoorsman, caught the largest tuna
in the 1999 tournament.
Goodwin currently works as a real estate developer and vice president of The Oldham Goodwin Group. He resides in College Station, Texas
with his wife, Amber (also Texas A&M University Class of 1997), and daughter Ella Grace. He appeared in Fox Sports Southwest as a commentator during the 2005 Texas A&M Football season. Locals may hear his voice before Texas A&M Football games on Billy Liucci’s radio show for the Maroon and White Report. Goodwin is active with the City of College Station Design Review Board, Scotty's House, and other boards and charities around the Brazos Valley
.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
tight end
Tight end
The tight end is a position in American football on the offense. The tight end is often seen as a hybrid position with the characteristics and roles of both an offensive lineman and a wide receiver. Like offensive linemen, they are usually lined up on the offensive line and are large enough to be...
.
College career
Goodwin transferred from Texas A&M–KingsvilleTexas A&M University–Kingsville
Texas A&M University–Kingsville is a U.S. national university with a multicultural student body that is 62 percent Hispanic and includes students from 35 states and 43 foreign countries...
to Texas A&M
Texas A&M University
Texas A&M University is a coeducational public research university located in College Station, Texas . It is the flagship institution of the Texas A&M University System. The sixth-largest university in the United States, A&M's enrollment for Fall 2011 was over 50,000 for the first time in school...
in 1993. While in Kingsville, he was a Lone Star Conference
Lone Star Conference
The Lone Star Conference is a college athletic conference affiliated with the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division II. Member institutions are located in the southwestern United States, with schools in Texas, Oklahoma and New Mexico...
award recipient as a tight end. He walked on to the Texas A&M football team and soon received a full scholarship. He played as an offensive tackle for the Aggies for two years where he was an All-Southwest Conference pick, second team All-American, and GTE
GTE
GTE Corporation, formerly General Telephone & Electronics Corporation was the largest independent telephone company in the United States during the days of the Bell System....
Scholar Athlete. Throughout his college career, he received All-Conference honors at two different schools at two different positions. Goodwin graduated from Texas A&M with a degree in agricultural economics.
NFL
Goodwin was the 97th pick of the 1996 draft to the Minnesota VikingsMinnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
as a tight end
Tight end
The tight end is a position in American football on the offense. The tight end is often seen as a hybrid position with the characteristics and roles of both an offensive lineman and a wide receiver. Like offensive linemen, they are usually lined up on the offensive line and are large enough to be...
. He played as a tight end in the NFL for nine years: five with Minnesota, and three with the Miami Dolphins
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
. Although he signed with Atlanta
Atlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are a member of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
in March 2004, he was forced to retire four months later due to a hip injury. While in the NFL, he served as Team Captain in the 1999 and 2000 seasons. He was also an NFL Players Representative for three years, a 2002 USA Today All-Joe
USA Today All-Joe Team
The USA Today All-Joe team is an annual selection of National Football League players and coaches deemed hard workers and over-achievers that may be overlooked by the biased media...
pick, and a spokesman for several commercials, including a nationally-televised Snickers
Snickers
Snickers is a brand name chocolate bar made by Mars, Incorporated. It consists of peanut nougat topped with roasted peanuts and caramel, enrobed in milk chocolate. Snickers has annual global sales of $2 billion....
commercial. Goodwin was also a draft day commentator for various Austin, Texas
Austin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
media outlets.
While Goodwin logged only 37 catches and two touchdowns throughout his pro career, he was known more for his blocking abilities. Goodwin was picked up by the Miami Dolphins in 1999 while he was a restricted free agent by then head coach, Jimmy Johnson
Jimmy Johnson (American football coach)
James William "Jimmy" Johnson is an American former NCAA and National Football League head coach. As of 2010, he is currently an analyst for Fox NFL Sunday, the Fox network's NFL pregame show. He was the first football coach whose teams won both an NCAA Division 1A National Championship and a...
. Johnson paid for him to come in and improve their running game, and Goodwin did. A high point in his career came in 2000 when Merril Hoge
Merril Hoge
Merril DuAine Hoge is a former professional American football player. He played eight seasons at running back for the NFL's Pittsburgh Steelers and Chicago Bears, retiring after the 1994 season. Since 1997 he has been a football analyst for ESPN television....
dubbed Goodwin as "the best blocking tight end in the league" in one of his ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
commentaries. Many believe that 2000 was Goodwin's best year. Hoge went on to say that Goodwin can easily handle any defensive end with no help drastically improving the offensive line. When Goodwin was awarded the "All Joe" pick, his teammates were quoted as saying that he is the sixth offensive lineman.
Personal
Goodwin's charity and volunteer work have included Habitat For Humanity, numerous visits to the children's hospitals in the Metropolitan area, the Cystic FibrosisCystic fibrosis
Cystic fibrosis is a recessive genetic disease affecting most critically the lungs, and also the pancreas, liver, and intestine...
foundation in Miami, and Special Olympics
Special Olympics
Special Olympics is the world's largest sports organization for children and adults with intellectual disabilities, providing year-round training and competitions to more than 3.1 million athletes in 175 countries....
. He has a first cousin who was diagnosed with cerebral palsy
Cerebral palsy
Cerebral palsy is an umbrella term encompassing a group of non-progressive, non-contagious motor conditions that cause physical disability in human development, chiefly in the various areas of body movement....
, and Goodwin has been quoted as saying, "if only all kids could be as smart and well adjusted as he is"). Goodwin participated each year in the Miami Dolphins Fishing Tournament in which the proceeds are used to help the Cystic Fibrosis foundation. Goodwin, an avid outdoorsman, caught the largest tuna
Tuna
Tuna is a salt water fish from the family Scombridae, mostly in the genus Thunnus. Tuna are fast swimmers, and some species are capable of speeds of . Unlike most fish, which have white flesh, the muscle tissue of tuna ranges from pink to dark red. The red coloration derives from myoglobin, an...
in the 1999 tournament.
Goodwin currently works as a real estate developer and vice president of The Oldham Goodwin Group. He resides in College Station, Texas
College Station, Texas
College Station is a city in Brazos County, Texas, situated in East Central Texas in the heart of the Brazos Valley. The city is located within the most populated region of Texas, near three of the 10 largest cities in the United States - Houston, Dallas, and San Antonio...
with his wife, Amber (also Texas A&M University Class of 1997), and daughter Ella Grace. He appeared in Fox Sports Southwest as a commentator during the 2005 Texas A&M Football season. Locals may hear his voice before Texas A&M Football games on Billy Liucci’s radio show for the Maroon and White Report. Goodwin is active with the City of College Station Design Review Board, Scotty's House, and other boards and charities around the Brazos Valley
Brazos Valley
The Brazos Valley is a region in the U.S. state of Texas consisting of Brazos County, Robertson County, Grimes County, Washington County, Burleson County, Madison County, and Leon County, with Brazos County and the cities of College Station and Bryan at its center...
.