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C.J. Goodwin Retires After 12 NFL Seasons

His exit creates a leadership vacancy on Dallas’s special teams that the club must fill before training camp.

Overview

  • Goodwin told WTOV9 reporter Rob Metzger at his PEGA All‑Sports camp that he was retiring, an announcement reported over the weekend by several outlets.
  • He finishes a 12‑season career with 136 games played, roughly 2,200 special‑teams snaps for the Cowboys, about 94 total tackles, two forced fumbles, two passes defensed and one fumble recovery.
  • Goodwin rose from a Division‑II, undrafted background after a 2014 tryout facilitated by Mel Blount to become an eight‑season Cowboys mainstay and a 2025 team captain.
  • The Cowboys now lose a veteran gunner and special‑teams leader, creating a specific roster spot and forcing open competition in coverage units after a 2025 season that saw poor special‑teams results.
  • Goodwin plans to continue his PeGa foundation work in West Virginia and shift focus to his youth camp and community mentorship following retirement.