PRO CAREER – Davon Godchaux (pronounced duh-VAHN GOD-chaw) returned to his home state to play for New Orleans in his ninth NFL campaign after being acquired from the New England Patriots, playing an important role in the team improving from ranking 31st in opponent rushing yards per play in 2024 to sixth in 2025. Originally a fifth round draft pick (178th overall) of the Miami Dolphins out of LSU in 2017, Godchaux has started 123-of-137 regular season games for the Dolphins (2017-20), Patriots (2021-24) and Saints (2025), recording 474 tackles (221 solo), 5.5 sacks, 20 stops for loss, three pass breakups, three forced fumbles and one fumble recovery, as well as one solo stop in the 2021 Wild Card Playoff for New England. In 2024, he started all 17 games and posted 67 tackles (24 solo), one pass defensed and one stop for loss.
TRANSACTIONS – Acquired by Saints from Patriots in exchange for future considerations, 3/12/25; Signed by Patriots to two-year contract extension, 7/31/24; Signed by Patriots to two-year contract extension, 7/22/22; Signed by Patriots to two-year contract (UFA-Mia.), 3/23/21; Placed by Dolphins on Injured Reserve, 10/16/20; Signed by Dolphins to four-year contract, 5/16/17; Selected by Miami Dolphins in the fifth round (178th overall) of the 2017 NFL Draft.
2025 – Played in all 17 games with 14 starts in first season with Saints and totaled 45 tackles, two quarterback hits, one stop for loss and one forced fumble…In Saints debut, vs. Arizona, Sept. 7, recorded three tackles…In Week two vs. San Francisco, Sept. 14, recorded one solo tackles as part of a run-stopping effort that surrendered only 77 yards on 26 carries (3.0 avg.)…Led the Saints with eight tackles and one forced fumble vs. New England, Oct. 12…Had three tackles (two solo) and a quarterback hit in win vs. N. Y. Jets, Oct. 27…Logged two tackles in 17-7 win at Carolina, Nov. 9, where Saints surrendered only 73 rushing yards on 23 carries (3.2 avg.). Saints limited Panthers to a season-low 175 total net yards, the lowest total since holding the New England Patriots to 156 on Oct. 23, 2023 at Gillette Stadium. 2024 – Opened all 17 games in final season with Patriots, posting 67 tackles (24 solo), a pass breakup and a stop for loss…In season-opening victory at Cincinnati, Sept. 8, logged a solo tackle as part of a run-stopping effort that gave up only 70 rushing yards…Recorded one pass breakup and five tackles (two solo), vs. Miami, Oct. 6…Led the Patriots with eight tackles vs. Houston, Oct. 13…Had three tackles (two solo) and a quarterback hit in win vs. N. Y. Jets, Oct. 27…Logged two solo tackles in 19-3 win at Chicago, Nov. 10, where Patriots surrendered only 73 rushing yards on 20 carries (3.7 avg.). Patriots limited Bears to 142 total yards, lowest total since holding Jets to 103 on Nov. 20, 2022. New England held Chicago to one-for-14 on third down. 2023 – Started all 17 games for Patriots, collecting 56 tackles (24 solo), two stops for loss, a quarterback hit and a fumble recovery. Part of seventh-ranked Patriots defense that finished fourth in the NFL in rushing yards allowed per game. The defense allowed an average of 93.2 rushing yards per game, the third-lowest in team history since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger…Part of defensive unit at N.Y. Jets, Sept. 24, that held Jets to 38 rushing yards…Recovered a fumble in the second quarter vs. Washington, Nov. 5, when LB Jahlani Tavai forced a fumble on RB Brian Robinson Jr…Led team with eight tackles (four solo) vs. Indianapolis, Nov. 12…Part of a defense vs. L.A. Chargers, Dec. 3, that held them to just 29 yards on 24 carries for a 1.2-yard average. It is the fewest rushing yards allowed since holding Dolphins to 15 yards on Oct. 29, 2015. 2022 – Played and started in all 17 games and recorded 62 total tackles (25 solo) and 1.5 sacks for New England Patriots…Part of the defensive unit that pitched a shutout vs. Detroit, Oct. 9, who entered the game with the top-ranked offense in the NFL. Had four tackles (one solo). Combined with DL Christian Barmore to make a fourth down stop in the Lions' first drive of the game. The defense stopped all six of Detroit's fourth down attempts…Part of a Patriots front line that held Cleveland, Oct. 16, who entered the game with the NFL's top-ranked rushing attack, to only 70 rushing yards. It was the first time of 2022 that the Browns had less than 170 rushing yards. Recorded first sack of season in fourth quarter for four-yard loss…Registered two tackles (one solo) vs. Indianapolis, Nov. 6. Part of a Patriots defensive unit that forced Colts to go 0-for-14 on third down and allowed just 121 total net yards…Registered two tackles (one solo) vs. N.Y. Jets, Nov. 20. Part of a unit that held the Jets to just 103 total yards, the third fewest yards allowed in Patriots history, only two total yards in the second half, the fewest ever allowed in a half in New England history, only six first downs and zero touchdowns…Vs. Buffalo, Dec. 1, finished with team-best ten tackles (three solo) to match career-high. 2021 – Played in all 17 regular season games with 16 starts in first season in New England and finished with 65 tackles, a sack and a forced fumble. Only game he did not start was vs. N.Y. Jets, Oct. 24…Played in first career playoff game in AFC Wild Card Round loss at Buffalo, 1/15/22, recording one solo tackle…Sacked QB Matt Ryan for seven yards in the fourth quarter at Atlanta, Nov. 18, his first takedown as a Patriot. Also had three solo tackles, two stops for loss and two QB hits. Strong rush helped force four sacks, four interceptions and limit Falcons to just 40 yards rushing…Forced a fumble in second quarter vs. Tennessee, Nov. 28, that was recovered by Kyle Dugger. Recorded career-high six solo tackles as well…Set career-high with team-leading ten total tackles at Buffalo, Dec. 6. Major force on the line that held Buffalo to under 100 rushing yards. 2020 – In final season in Miami, started all five games he played in and totaled 16 tackles (ten solo), before suffering a season-ending biceps injury…Posted season-high six tackles vs. Buffalo, Sept. 20. 2019 – Served as team captain and started all 16 games and registered career-high 75 tackles, two sacks and a pass breakup. 75 stops were the most by a Dolphins DL since at least 2000…Posted six tackles and one sack in victory vs. N.Y. Jets, Nov. 3…Tallied a season-high nine tackles and a half-sack at Cleveland, Nov. 24…Made six tackles and a half-sack in overtime victory vs. Cincinnati, Dec. 22. 2018 – Started all 16 games and totaled 48 tackles (31 solo) and one sack for a seven-yard loss…Made three tackles in victory vs. Oakland, Sept. 23, including a run stuff of FB Keith Smith on fourth-and-one at Miami's one-yard line to prevent a Raiders touchdown…Made two tackles and his first career sack at Minnesota, Dec. 16…Matched single-game season highs of six tackles to close out season in Week 16 vs. Jacksonville, Dec. 23 and at Buffalo, Dec. 30. 2017 – Played in 15 games with five starts in rookie season for Miami and tallied 40 tackles, one forced fumble and one pass breakup…Made NFL debut at L.A. Chargers, Sept. 17 and made two tackles…Posted two tackles and forced a fumble that was recovered by Miami vs. Tennessee, Oct. 8…Posted season-highs of five tackles vs. Oakland, Nov. 5 and vs. Tampa Bay, Nov. 19.
COLLEGE – Played in 37 games with 34 starts over three seasons (2014-16) at LSU and totaled 145 tackles, 12.5 sacks, two pass breakups and two forced fumbles…Started all 12 contests as a junior in 2016 and registered 62 tackles, 6.5 sacks and one pass defense, for an LSU defense that allowed only 16 touchdowns all season, the fewest of any FBS team…Started all 12 contests as a sophomore in 2015 and posted 41 tackles, six sacks, a pass breakup and a forced fumble…Played in all 13 games with ten starts and finished with 42 tackles and one forced fumble as a freshman in 2014, when he opened the final nine games…Majored in sports management.
PERSONAL – Attended Plaquemine (La.) HS, where as a junior in 2012, he totaled 60 tackles and 4.5 sacks en route to earning first-team All-State…Despite having senior season cut short due to an injury, earned a scholarship to LSU…Plaquemine honored him in 2017 by making May 9 "Davon Godchaux Day"…Godchaux's "Chauxdown Foundation" empowers at-risk youth through a combination of fitness, literacy and educational programming. The foundation has helped serve over 2,000 youth in the communities where he has played football. Chauxdown has impacted the community in a variety of ways from giving children toys to play with, to making sure they have essential school supplies to receive proper education at school. Hosted a football camp in Plaquemine for local youth in June…For NFL's My Cause My Cleats initiative, has worn shoes representing his foundation…Passionate about world of fashion…Enjoys riding horses and involved in breeding thoroughbreds…Born on November 11, 1994 in Baton Rouge, La.
