Hunter Goodwin

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Ed Beckman
Date of birth:	October 10, 1972 (1972-10-10) (age 35)
Place of birth:	Bellville, Texas
Career information
Position(s):	TE
College:	Texas A&M
NFL Draft:	1996 / Round: 4 / Pick 97
Organizations
As player:
1996-1998, 2002-2003 1999-2001	Minnesota Vikings Miami Dolphins
Stats at DatabaseFootball.com

Hunter Goodwin (born October 10, 1972 in Bellville, Texas), is a former professional American football tight end.

Goodwin transferred from Texas A&M Kingsville to Texas A&M in 1993. While in Kingsville, he was a Lone Star Conference award recipient as a tight end. He walked on to the Texas A&M Football team and soon received a full scholarship. He played as an offensive tackle for the Aggies for two years where he was an All Southwest Conference pick, second team All American, and GTE Scholar Athlete. Throughout his college career, he received All Conference honors at two different schools at two different positions. Goodwin graduated from Texas A&M University with a degree in Agricultural Economics.

Goodwin was the 97th pick of the 1996 draft to the Minnesota Vikings as a tight end. He played as a tight end in the NFL for nine years: five with Minnesota, three with the Miami Dolphins, and one in Atlanta where he retired (due to injury) in October 2005. While in the NFL, he served as Team Captain in the 1999 and 2000 seasons, an NFL Players Representative for three years, a 2002 USA Today “All Joe” pick, and a spokesman for several commercials, including a nationally-televised Snickers commercial. Goodwin was also a draft day commentator for various Austin, Texas media outlets.

While Goodwin logged only 37 catches and two touchdowns throughout his pro career, he was known more for his blocking abilities. Goodwin was picked up by the Miami Dolphins in 1999 while he was a restricted free agent by then head coach, Jimmy Johnson. Johnson paid for him to come in and improve their running game, and Goodwin did. A high point in his career came in 2000 when Merril Hoge dubbed Goodwin as "the best blocking tight end in the league" in one of his ESPN commentaries. Many believe that 2000 was Goodwin's best year. Hoge went on to say that Goodwin can easily handle any defensive end with no help drastically improving the offensive line. When Goodwin was awarded the "All Joe" pick, his teammates were quoted as saying that he is the sixth offensive lineman.

Goodwin's charity and volunteer work have included Habitat For Humanity, numerous visits to the children's hospitals in the Metropolitan area, the Cystic Fibrosis foundation in Miami, and Special Olympics. He has a first cousin has Cerebral Palsy, and Goodwin has been quoted as saying, "if only all kids could be as smart and well adjusted as he is"). Goodwin participated each year in the Miami Dolphin Fishing Tournament in which the proceeds are used to help the Cystic Fibrosis foundation. Goodwin, an avid outdoorsman, caught the largest tuna in the 1999 tournament.

Goodwin currently works as a real estate developer and vice president of The Oldham Goodwin Group. He resides in College Station, Texas with his wife, Amber (also Texas A&M University Class of 1997), and daughter Ella Grace. You may be familiar with his face from Fox Sports Southwest where he worked as a commentator during the 2005 Texas A&M Football season. Locals may hear his voice before Texas A&M Football games on Billy Liucci’s radio show for the Maroon and White Report. Goodwin is active with the City of College Station Design Review Board, Scotty's House, and other boards and charities around the Brazos Valley.