Father's Day is kind of a complicated holiday.
For some, like say, Nick Foles — who just welcomed a new child — it's a holiday of joy and thankfulness. For others, like, say Michael Jordan — who famously won an NBA title on the holiday back in 1996 after the murder of his father — it's something entirely different.
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Newly acquired Eagles wideout Marquise Goodwin has his own, totally unique outlook on the holiday, one that is documented in a Father's Day segment of E60, set to air Sunday at noon on ESPN.
"He wants be a father more than a Super Bowl championship or Olympic gold medal," Goodwin's mother says in the doc.
It's really true.
The Texas native was a track and football star, (and an Olympian in the long jump in 2012) but the documentary kind of brushes that aside. Everyone already knows that about Goodwin. The speedster grew up without a father, close to his mother, and aspired to become the dad he never had once he reached success in pro sports.
Goodwin married track star Morgan Snow after his rookie season, ready to start a family, and in 2017 the couple posted on social media they were expecting. At their 19-week appointment, Morgan was diagnosed with cervical insufficiency — which led to immature birth and the tragic death of their unborn child.
Goodwin had to play in a game the day after his baby passed, and caught an 83-yard touchdown that brought him to literal tears in the end zone.
The rest of Goodwin's story pulls even harder at heartstrings, as the couple tries and try again to bring a child into their lives. Heartbreak and steadfast positivity seem to be at the center of Marquise and Morgan's lives, and they don't give it up after their first pregnancy ends in tragedy. Seeing their attempts to start a family without knowing how the story ends is quite the dramatic force, which is why we won't tell you what happens here.
There is a natural feeling to be embarrassed and perhaps ashamed at the loss of a pregnancy, but the Goodwin's are open and honest about the tragedy, one that effects many in the world every year.
"They understood that this is something a lot of people experience but it’s not discussed as openly as it should be," ESPN producer Sarah M. Kazadi said. "They wanted to show that something as tragic as this can happen to you but you can bounce back and we are an example of that. It’s in everything that they do – they created their YouTube page primarily for the purpose of inspiring and encouraging people who are going through this and it’s just who they are."
Whatever Father's Day means to you, it's a day for reflection. Everyone has a connection to fatherhood, and getting to experience Goodwin's helps put things in perspective.
"This is ultimately a story about faith, family, love, — some of these big themes are embodied by Marquise and Morgan," Kazadi said. "Right now, we need to see uplifting news, and this story is exactly that. When you get to watch the piece and you get to learn a little about Marquise and Morgan, you’ll realize how incredible they are as people and it’s hard not to root for them."
Goodwin will open training camp with the Eagles, looking to vie for a spot on the team's roster. He will compete with some fast rookie wide receivers, eager to put him out of a job. It will be hard for any Birds fan not to be pulling for Goodwin after learning his story.
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