Cowboys’ C.J. Goodwin Announces Retirement From NFL After 12 Years
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ST. CLAIRSVILLE - C.J. Goodwin's journey from East Wheeling to playing 12 seasons in the NFL came to a halt Saturday night when the Linsly graduate announced his retirement during an event held inside the Crescent Acres Event Center.
The 36-year-old only played one season of high school football before heading to Bethany College where he played basketball for two seasons. He then transferred to Fairmont State before ending up at California, Pa., University, playing football at both.
After going undrafted in 2014, Goodwin received a tryout with the Pittsburgh Steelers after Steelers Hall of Fame cornerback Mel Blount, whose son - Akil - attended high school with Goodwin, urged the team to give him an opportunity. On June 4, 2014, Goodwin signed an undrafted rookie free agent contract with the Steelers, for three-years and $1.53 million. He was released on August 26, but was added to the practice squad five days later. He eventually signed a reserve/futures contract with Pittsburgh on January 5, 2015, but on August 31, Goodwin was waived by the Steelers.
Blount was one of several dignitaries that attended the Black-tie affair.
On November 3, 2015, Goodwin was signed to the Atlanta Falcons‘ practice squad and then signed a reserve/futures contract with the Falcons on January 5, 2016. During the Falcons training camp in 2016, he was converted from a wide receiver to a cornerback. During the 2016 season, he played in 14 games - including his lone career start - recording seven tackles, defended a pair of passes and made 10 special teams tackles.
The Falcons reached Super Bowl LI on February 5, 2017 against the New England Patriots, falling 34-28 in overtime. He recorded a pair of tackles and one special teams tackle in the contest.
Following stints with the Cardinals, Giants, 49ers and Bengals, Dallas signed Goodwin off of Cincinnati’s practice squad in October of 2018.
He found a home in the Lone Star state, playing in 108 games for the Cowboys since he joined the team in 2018. Upon his retirement, was the second longest-tenured Cowboy on the roster behind only Dak Prescott, who preceded Goodwin by two seasons.
Since 2019, Goodwin was one of Dallas’ key players on special teams, recording 69 tackles with the Cowboys - ninth in Cowboys history - and 87 in his NFL career. In 2021, Goodwin became the first player in franchise history to lead the team in special teams tackles for three consecutive seasons.
In his eight seasons with Dallas, Goodwin notched 2,211 snaps on special teams. He worked primarily as a gunner on punt coverage and was one of Dallas’ most impactful defenders on kickoff coverage during his career with the team.
The 6-3, 190-pounder was named one of the Cowboys’ six captains in 2025, and the second captain on special teams alongside placekicker Brandon Aubrey. He finished the year with 18 special teams tackles.
Off the field, Goodwin founded the PeGa Foundation (Perry Galloway Jr. Foundation) to honor his late father/mentor after his passing. The PeGa Foundation is a nonprofit mentoring organization based out of his hometown in Wheeling, West Virginia. Off the field, he spends most of his free time mentoring youth of PeGa and volunteering his time by speaking to schools and youth groups across the country.
Attempts to reach Goodwin by phone for a comment were not returned.