Jonathan Scott Goodwin (born December 2, 1978) is an American former professional

football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kick (football), kicking a football (ball), ball to score a goal (sports), goal. Unqualified, football (word), the word ''football'' generally means the form of football t ...

player who was a center in the

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(NFL) and current coach for the

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. He played

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for the

Michigan Wolverines The Michigan Wolverines comprise 29 varsity sports teams at the University of Michigan. These teams compete in the National Collegiate Athletic Association, NCAA's NCAA Division I, Division I and in the Big Ten Conference in all sports except wo ...

and was selected by the

New York Jets The New York Jets are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Jets compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East division. The team p ...

in the fifth round of the 2002 NFL draft. Goodwin also played for the

New Orleans Saints The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans. The Saints compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC South, South division. Since 1975, the team ...

and the

San Francisco 49ers The San Francisco 49ers (also written as the San Francisco Forty-Niners and nicknamed the Niners) are a professional American football team based in the San Francisco Bay Area. The 49ers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member ...

Early life

Goodwin was born in

Columbia, South Carolina Columbia is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of South Carolina. With a population of 136,632 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is List of municipalities in South Carolina, the second-mo ...

. He attended Lower Richland High School in Hopkins, South Carolina and was a student and a

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. In football, he was an all-conference selection.

College career

Goodwin enrolled in the

University of Michigan The University of Michigan (U-M, U of M, or Michigan) is a public university, public research university in Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States. Founded in 1817, it is the oldest institution of higher education in the state. The University of Mi ...

, and played for the

Michigan Wolverines football The Michigan Wolverines football team represents the University of Michigan in college football at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level. Michigan has the List of NCAA football teams by wins, most all-time wins in college football ...

team from 1998 to 2001. Transferred to University of Michigan from Ohio University after freshman season.

Professional career

New York Jets

Goodwin was selected in the fifth round, 154th overall in the 2002 NFL draft by the

New Orleans Saints (first stint)

After the 2005 season, Goodwin was a

free agent In professional sports, a free agent is a player or manager who is eligible to sign with other clubs or franchises; i.e., not under contract to any specific team. The term is also used in reference to a player who is under a contract at present ...

, and signed with the New Orleans Saints. He was the Saints' starting center during their 2009 Super Bowl season and made the

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as a reserve in 2010.

San Francisco 49ers

On August 3, 2011, Goodwin signed with the

as an unrestricted free agent. He started all 16 games during the season. Goodwin also participated on the postseason roster when meeting his former team in the 2011 Divisional Round, the Saints. The 49ers defeated the Saints in the divisional round. The 49ers would eventually lose the 2011 NFC Championship to the Giants in overtime. Goodwin received the Bobb McKittrick Award which is given annually to the 49ers offensive lineman who best represents the courage, intensity and sacrifice displayed by the longtime offensive line coach who spent 21 years with the 49ers. The award was established by the 49ers in 1999, and is voted on by the offensive line. At the end of the 2012 season, Goodwin and the 49ers appeared in

Super Bowl XLVII Super Bowl XLVII was an American football game between the American Football Conference (AFC) champion Baltimore Ravens and the National Football Conference (NFC) champion San Francisco 49ers to decide the National Football League (NFL) champio ...

. He started in the game, but the 49ers fell to the

Baltimore Ravens The Baltimore Ravens are a professional American football team based in Baltimore. The Ravens compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC North, North division. The team plays its home g ...

by a score of 34–31. Goodwin started every game at center during his three years with the 49ers.

New Orleans Saints (second stint)

On June 3, 2014, Goodwin returned to New Orleans, signing a one-year contract. He was named starting center ahead of second-year center Tim Lelito. In the Week 3 win against the

Minnesota Vikings The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis. The Vikings compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. Founded in 1960 as ...

, he left the game during the third quarter due to an ankle sprain.

Personal life

Goodwin's older brother, Harold, is the run game coordinator and assistant head coach for the

Carolina Panthers The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Panthers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC South, South division. The t ...

References

External links

New Orleans Saints bio

San Francisco 49ers bio
{{DEFAULTSORT:Goodwin, Jonathan 1978 births Living people Players of American football from Columbia, South Carolina American football centers American football offensive guards Michigan Wolverines football players National Conference Pro Bowl players New York Jets players New Orleans Saints players San Francisco 49ers players 21st-century African-American sportsmen 20th-century African-American sportsmen 20th-century American sportsmen Coaches of American football from South Carolina