A run-stuffing anchor who has started nearly every game he's played across three NFL stops.
Davon Godchaux has spent a decade in the league as one of the more dependable interior defensive linemen around, a Louisiana kid who came home to New Orleans after stints in Miami and New England. He does not chase highlight sacks; he holds up the middle of the line so linebackers can run free.
Path to the league
Godchaux started the final 33 games of his career at LSU from 2014 to 2017, piling up 145 tackles, 18.5 tackles for loss and 12 sacks as a Tiger. The Miami Dolphins took him in the fifth round of the 2017 draft, betting on a run defender who played bigger than his measurables.
Career highlights
Godchaux has started 123 of 137 regular season games across his career with the Dolphins (2017-2020), Patriots (2021-2024) and Saints, racking up 474 tackles, 5.5 sacks, 20 stops for loss, three forced fumbles and a fumble recovery. His calling card has always been availability and run-defense consistency rather than gaudy sack totals.
2025 season recap
New Orleans acquired Godchaux from the Patriots and he returned to his home state, starting for the Saints and playing a full 17-game slate. He settled into a do-it-all role up front for New Orleans, exactly the kind of steady interior presence the defense needed.
Sources
- Wikipedia: Davon Godchaux
- Pro Football Reference: Davon Godchaux
Statistics
2025 season and career2025 Season · Defense
17 games played▶Defense · career
| Year | Team | GP | TOT | SOLO | SACK | INT | FF | FR | PD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | saints | 17 | 43 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2024 | patriots | 17 | 67 | 24 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 2023 | patriots | 17 | 56 | 24 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 2022 | patriots | 17 | 62 | 25 | 1.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2021 | patriots | 17 | 65 | 32 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2020 | dolphins | 5 | 16 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2019 | dolphins | 16 | 75 | 33 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 2018 | dolphins | 16 | 48 | 31 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2017 | dolphins | 15 | 40 | 26 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
Player Profile
Background
- Position
- Defensive Tackle
- Group
- defense
- College
- LSU
- Hometown
- Plaquemine, LA, USA
- Age
- 31
- Status
- active
