C.J. Goodwin

C.J. Goodwin is a former NFL defensive back and special-teams standout who retired from professional football on June 28, 2026. He spent the final eight seasons of his career with the Dallas Cowboys after earlier stops with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Atlanta Falcons, Arizona Cardinals, New York Giants, San Francisco 49ers and Cincinnati Bengals. Goodwin was primarily valued as a gunner and coverage specialist, combining size, speed and disciplined pursuit on special teams. He was also selected as one of Dallas’s captains in 2025.

Born February 4, 1990, in Wheeling, West Virginia, Goodwin attended The Linsly School and began playing football seriously during his senior year. He first attended Bethany College, where he played basketball, then transferred to Fairmont State University and walked onto its football team. Goodwin later completed his college career at California University of Pennsylvania, playing wide receiver before entering the NFL as an undrafted free agent in 2014.

Goodwin’s path to the NFL was unconventional. After joining Pittsburgh as a college free agent, he developed from a practice-squad wide receiver into a defensive back with Atlanta. He appeared in Super Bowl LI with the Falcons before establishing himself in Dallas as a reliable special-teams contributor. The Cowboys credited him with becoming the first player in franchise history to lead the team in special-teams tackles for three consecutive seasons. As of September 15, 2026, he is retired and is not a current Cowboys player.