With the NFL on its summer break between offseason workouts and training camp, New England Patriots defensive tackle Davon Godchaux returned to his hometown to hold his annual football camp and see a special honor bestowed upon him: Godchaux had his number retired by his alma mater, Plaquemine High School.
By his junior season, Godchaux had developed into an All-State defensive lineman. While he subsequently missed the majority of his senior campaign due to a torn ACL and LCL suffered in the Green Devils’ season opener, he still left Plaquemine as a four-star recruit.
Now, his No. 7 jersey will no longer be issued in his honor. Robert Bailey of his agency, Rosenhaus Sports, shared a photo of the event on social media:
Godchaux eventually joined LSU after his high school career despite also receiving offers from USC, Florida and Texas, among others. Even though he later joined the NFL — the Miami Dolphins drafted him in the fifth round in 2017 — he has kept close ties to his hometown.
“When I was coming up, we had Brian Mitchell and a few other guys from Plaquemine who spent time with us. Seeing somebody like Brian Mitchell here meant a lot to me. That was somebody I could look up to,” he told the Acadiana Advocate in 2018. “He set an example as an athlete and a person for us. After I got to LSU, guys like Patrick Peterson and Tyrann Mathieu came back and talked about the importance of being a role model and giving back.”
Godchaux, who has also made several donations to the school over the years, held his inaugural camp in 2018. This year’s version was held in mid-June as a free event for kids aged 7-15.
“Coming back here and seeing a smile on these kids’ faces, to me, that’s more than any dollar, more than any money,” Godchaux told WBRZ 2. “They will remember this for life. They will remember Davon Godchaux coming back, putting on a camp. And they’re going to remember that when they get older and tell their kids about it. That means more than anything to me.”
Earlier this year, Godchaux joined the Patriots on a two-year, $16 million free agency contract.