Tag: Mike Evans

Mike Evans shares when his Pro Football career may end

Mike Evans shared some insight into his NFL career’s end date and the next step in his professional life. 

The Pro Bowl is not seen as one of the better events on the NFL calendar, but with the rise of Flag Football, the game itself is having a slight rise in viewership. The game being added to the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles has some players positioning to be in the games.

Mike Evans shared some insight into the end date of his NFL career and the next step in his professional life.

Speaking with Rick Stroud of The Tampa Bay Times, the Bucs All-Pro wide receiver hinted that his love for flag football may have him pursuing a spot on the national team for the Olympics. Evans said that if he retires by 2028, meaning he has three more seasons left, he hopes to make the team for the United States of America. 

If Evans keeps up with the Pro Bowl experiences, he can get more reps in during more flag football games.

2025 Bucs Offseason Preview: Wide Receivers

The Bucs continue to boast one of the NFL’s best WR tandems with Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, but more drafted talent wouldn’t hurt.

The 2024 season was a three-part tale of glory, turmoil, and redemption for the Buccaneers’ wide receiver corps. It teased the possibilities of a top-five finish for Chris Godwin and reminded everyone why Mike Evans is still one of the best wide receivers in the NFL, 11 record-breaking seasons on.

The season began with Godwin carrying the Bucs pass offense. Through seven games, he caught 50 passes for 576 yards and five touchdowns, putting him on pace to finish top-five in all three categories among wide receivers. Even after suffering a season-ending ankle injury in Week 7, Godwin posted the NFL’s best reception rate (83.3%) and was top-10 in yards per route run, yards after catch per reception, and NFL passer rating (minimum 35 targets). Godwin even posted a career-best zero dropped passes.

Godwin’s success was not shared by Mike Evans, who posted just 335 receiving yards through Week 7, which would have put him well short of getting an 11th-straight 1000-yard season. For the first half of the season, Evans simply was not the focal point of the offense as he had been his entire career.

Week 7 is where the story turns, as the Bucs lost Godwin for the season and Mike Evans to a hamstring injury for several weeks in a crushing loss to the Baltimore Ravens. The Bucs faced a brutal three-game stretch in which Baker Mayfield relied on veteran Sterling Shepard and undrafted players like Ryan Miller and Rakim Jarrett.

Once Evans returned in Week 12, he reminded everyone who he was and what he could do. He broke a couple of records. First and foremost, he tied Jerry Rice’s record of 11 straight seasons with at least 1000 receiving yards. Evans also became the NFL’s all-time leader in defensive pass interference yardage in the regular season and playoffs (860) per FTN.

Though Godwin and Evans peaked at different points in the season, they proved they are among, if not the best, wide receiver tandem in the NFL. 

That is why the Bucs will move heaven and earth to ensure Chris Godwin stays in Tampa Bay.

The continuity of Evans and Godwin is a major reason for the Bucs’ sustained offensive success over the last five years. Despite considerable turnover at offensive coordinator and quarterback, Evans and Godwin just make everyone right on offense.

Evans has another year on his extension, while Godwin’s expires this offseason. Due to the heavy borrowing, the Bucs did during the Brady years, Godwin has a dead cap hit of $18.8 million in 2025 per Over the Cap.

However, re-signing Godwin before the start of the league year would likely cost less than letting Godwin walk. At 29 years old and coming off a significant ankle injury, Godwin probably would command a salary similar to Cooper Kupp or Davante Adams, averaging between $25 and $30 million per year. While this would again require the use of void years and back-loading his contract, the Bucs could keep Godwin in Tampa Bay at a competitive price.

2025 also saw the rise of rookie Jalen McMillan, who started the season slow but came on as a viable scoring weapon down the stretch. In the last five games of the season, McMillan scored seven touchdowns. While he could be the Bucs’ WR2 if Godwin signed elsewhere, he would be a top-end WR3 next season playing behind Evans and Godwin.

The Trey Palmer experiment may have reached its untimely end. Despite the injuries to the wide receiver corps this season, Palmer was less productive and no more efficient than he was in 2023, catching just 12 passes for 172 yards compared to 39 catches for 385 yards and three touchdowns in 2023. He was also an ineffective punt return, averaging just 7.6 yards per return and muffing twice.

While the Bucs are sure to bring back some combination of Palmer, Shepard, Jarrett, and undrafted rookie Kameron Johnson, more talent is needed at the position to ensure against age and injury to Evans and Godwin. To bring back Godwin, the Bucs cannot afford to pay an up-and-coming receiver, so the draft will be their primary venue for acquisitions.

Iowa St. WR Jayden Higgins would add a little more size to a receiving corps that otherwise lacks it outside of Evans. He is a physical player known for his ability to make contested catches. While he is not the field stretcher that Evans is, he could be the next big target in the Bucs’ receiving arsenal.

While Utah St. WR Jalen Royals does not add much size to an NFL wide receiver room, his build and skill set are not dissimilar from Godwin’s. Royals averaged 3.0 yards per route run and 7.9 yards after the catch per reception, both top marks in this year’s receiver class.

Both Higgins and Royals could be targets for Tampa Bay on Day 2 of the draft. Though the Bucs are sure to emphasize adding defensive talent with their top picks, adding either prospect would simultaneously prepare for the future and reinforce the strength of the offense.

Bucs WR Mike Evans named to 2025 Pro Bowl games

Mike Evans will be a part of his sixth Pro Bowl team in his 11th season in the NFL, and he now shares that number with another Bucs legend.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are adding another player to the Pro Bowl roster in 2025. On Monday, the team and the league announced that their future hall of fame wide receiver was being named to the 2025 Pro Bowl roster.

Mike Evans will be a part of his sixth Pro Bowl team in his 11th season in the NFL, and he now shares that number with another Bucs legend.

Evans tied former Bucs fullback Mike Alstott for the most Pro Bowl nominations as an offensive player in franchise history (6). He is only trailing Derrick Brooks (11) and Warren Sapp (7) for most all-time in franchise history.

Evans joined the Pro Bowl during his 11th straight season of 1,000 yards, which tied him in a different way to another hall of fame player. Only Evans and Jerry Rice can say they had 1,000 receiving yards in 11 straight seasons. Evans hopes to have that record to himself after the 2025 season.

For now, though, Evans can relax and have some fun playing dodgeball and other games at the Pro Bowl next month.

Mike Evans receives prestigious award from Bucs franchise

Mike Evans’s success in overcoming tough circumstances on the field has earned him an award from the team. 

When it comes to handling adversity, Mike Evans is one of the best to do it on the entire Bucs roster. The 2024 season was just another chapter in his story where he overcame tough odds and found success on and off the field.

Mike Evans’s success in overcoming tough circumstances on the field has earned him an award from the team. It was announced that Mike Evans would be the 2024 recipient of The Ed Block Courage Award from the Buccaneers Organization.

The award, which is given out to a player on every NFL team, is named in honor of Ed Block, who was a trainer for the Baltimore Colts and is a humanitarian. The award is awarded to those who symbolize professionalism, strength, and dedication, along with acting as a community role model. For Evans, this honor also coincides with him earning the team’s nomination for the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award.

On the field, Evans battled back from a hamstring injury to secure his 11th straight 1,000-yard receiving season and helped the team secure their fourth straight division title.

Evans will find out if he is adding another award to his trophy case the week of the Super Bowl when the winner for the Walter Payton Man of the Year is announced during the NFL Honors ceremony.

What’s the latest on Marshon Lattimore ahead of NFC divisional round vs. Lions?

How is Marshon Lattimore heading into the NFC divisional round?

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers targeted Washington Commanders cornerback Marshon Lattimore early and often in Sunday’s NFC wild-card matchup. Lattimore, who’d missed six of eight games with a hamstring injury since his trade to Washington, struggled in the first half.

The matchup with his longtime archrival Mike Evans was hyped throughout the week. Evans had five catches against Lattimore with a touchdown in the first half. Lattimore was also called for pass interference.

After the half, the Commanders contained Evans, who had only two catches in the second half.

With such a shaky performance in prime time, it was fair to wonder how healthy Lattimore was coming out of that game. Hamstring injuries are notoriously tricky and can take time to heal. Head coach Dan Quinn said on Monday that Lattimore was fine.

“It sure looks like it in terms of the competitiveness, the strength, we’re still honestly working back all the way into it,’ Quinn said when asked if Lattimore was fully healthy. “So, there’s an element of that just from doing the right thing to make sure we don’t overload it into that spot. So, it’s a fine line to do that, but certainly all he brings to us is a competitor.”

That’s good news. The Lions are on the schedule next and feature the dynamic receiver duo of Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams.

Quinn then discussed Lattimore’s usage against the Bucs, coming off the hamstring injury.

“I just wanted make sure we weren’t overloading into the amount of reps, so that was by design going into the game,” Quinn said. “So, we kind of had a, I’d say a sort of a pitch count in mind. Not all reps are created equal for a cornerback. Think of a downfield throw compared to a run that comes to you. It’s not the same stressors.”

That’s where this regime is different. Washington will not rush a player back, regardless of who it is. Even if they badly need Lattimore, he must be 100% before he plays. And that goes for anyone else, too.

So, what did Quinn think of Lattimore’s performance?

“Yeah, I would say for us, it’s about winning, and that’s the name of the game,” Quinn said. “And so, we love what Marshon brings to us. We don’t look at the game as one box score or one player; we look at it as a collective. And like I said, there were other plays that wouldn’t show up to make a tackle to hold them to a field goal at the end. Those are important moments for us as well. And give Tampa and Mike [Evans] their credit too; they’ve been excellent this entire season, so I don’t want to shortchange that as well.”

Quinn is right. Yes, Evans beat Lattimore throughout the first half, but let’s not pretend Evans is a scrub. He’s a future Pro Football Hall of Famer.

Sunday is now in the rearview mirror as Quinn and the Commanders are focused only on the top-seeded Lions in the NFC divisional round.

Ex-Saints CB Marshon Lattimore struggles in playoff rematch with archrival

His Washington Commanders got the last laugh, but ex-Saints cornerback Marshon Lattimore struggled in a playoff rematch with his archrival Mike Evans:

The New Orleans Saints traded Marshon Lattimore to the Washington Commanders earlier this season and, as fate would have it, he met up with a bitter rival during Sunday night’s NFC Wild Card Round.

Lattimore went face-to-face with Mike Evans when the Commanders took on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The two stars have a long history of beef from when they would face off twice a year.

Their visual feuds have led to fights and drama for years. It is always a pleasure to watch them face off, as both parties have claimed plenty of wins in the past.

In Lattimore’s first time facing Evans outside of a Dennis Allen-built scheme, the wide receiver had the better performance. Evans had seven catches for 92 yards and a touchdown. In one memorable sequence he forced Lattimore to commit pass interference to prevent a touchdown, only to score on him on the ensuing down.

In the end, though, Washington got the last laugh with a 23-20 win. Lattimore and his new squad will take on the Detroit Lions in the Divisional Round next weekend. With the likes of Dan Campbell and Lattimore’s old position coach Aaron Glenn on the opposite sideline, there will be even more familiar faces.

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Marshon Lattimore is not having a good time against Mike Evans at halftime

Through the first half of the game, it is evident that Baker Mayfield is trying to make Marshon Lattimore not have a good time. 

The rivalry between Bucs wide receiver and Commanders cornerback Marshon Lattimore is well documented. Every matchup has come with both men being on the Saints and Bucs, but tonight’s Wild Card matchup was the first installment with Lattimore on the Commanders since being traded.

Through the first half of the game, it is evident that Baker Mayfield is trying to make Marshon Lattimore not have a good time.

According to Next Gen Stats, Mayfield targeted Mike Evans five times and caught all four receptions. He accumulated 55 yards and one touchdown, which was set up by a pass-interference call against Lattimore. 

 

The Commanders had been in control for most of the game going into the final drive of the half for the Bucs. They would be led by Mayfield and Evans to score a touchdown in the closing seconds, giving the Bucs a tie heading into halftime. The Bucs have been great at making halftime adjustments all year so look for those against Washington and Lattimore.

On the other hand, it will be interesting to see how Lattimore adjusts and how Dan Quinn assigns coverage assignments to Evans.

Baker Mayfield’s angry run leads to Mike Evans TD reception

Baker Mayfield provided the inspiration Tampa Bay needed on a second-quarter drive

Baker Mayfield took it upon himself to inspire the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The quarterback rumbled through the Washington Commanders defense late in the second quarter on Sunday.

And his 18-yard run had plenty of attitude.

The drive concluded as Mayfield looked for WR Mike Evans. After a pass interference penalty on Marshon Lattimore in the end zone, Mayfield connected with his great WR for a short TD pass.

The score in the NFC wild-card game was tied at the break, 10-10.

Evans and Lattimore have a bitter and nasty rivalry. In the first half, it was all Evans. He had five catches on five targets for 66 yards and a scoee.

Is Mike Evans playing today against the Commanders? Status updates for Bucs WR

Is Mike Evans playing today against the Commanders? Status updates for the Bucs WR

The Bucs fought their way into the NFL playoffs by winning the NFC South with a record of 10-7 in the regular season. They did it, and now they face off against a team they handled in Week 1 in a one-sided matchup: the Washington Commanders.

Mike Evans is coming off a season finale that saw him record his 11th straight 1,000-yard receiving season tying Jerry Rice’s record. Will he be available for the team on Sunday against the Commanders?

Mike Evans status update

In their Week 1 matchup with the Commanders, Mike Evans recorded five receptions for 61 yards and two touchdowns. Having that sort of production will be monumental for the Bucs and their success in the passing game. The good news for them is Evans will be 100% heading into the matchup.

With Evans playing against the Commanders on Sunday, that also means we get our first and final dose of Evans going against his longtime rival Marshon Lattimore. The Commanders acquired the former Saints cornerback earlier in the season and after missing most the season, he is now healthy for the playoffs.

Bucs WR depth chart

  • Mike Evans
  • Sterling Shepard
  • Jalen McMillan
  • Rakim Jarrett
  • Trey Palmer
  • Ryan Miller

Davante Adams comments on Marshon Lattimore vs. Mike Evans’ rivalry

Davante Adams says ‘both of them boys are crazy’ ahead of Commanders CB Marshon Lattimore and Bucs WR Mike Evans’ rivalry game in the playoffs:

Marshon Lattimore versus Mike Evans provided every New Orleans Saints versus Tampa Bay Buccaneers showdown with a little extra intensity. The Saints traded Lattimore away to the Washington Commanders this year, and he will take on Evans again for the first time in a different uniform in the wild card round of the NFL playoffs.

It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to call Evans and Lattimore arch-rivals. New York Jets receiver Davante Adams spoke with Kay Adams on the rivalry between the two players, saying: “I know both of them boys are crazy.”

You see how far the rivals go and how frequently they go there, and it’s hard to disagree. Scuffles are regular, and punches never seem to far away when Evans and Lattimore are sharing the field. With this being a playoff game, the extracurricular activities should be at a minimum. The intensity will be present, though.

Adams says he never had a rival to this degree and is “too old to be doing that now.” If there was one cornerback he had a rivalry with, it would Richard Sherman, but “it wasn’t something that lasted as long as their’s have.”

There aren’t many rivalries like Evans versus Lattimore. We get to see them battle in the playoffs one more time.