Hustle and heart secure Mike Evans’ place in Bucs, NFL history

TAMPA — Mike Evans says he was nearly gone. To the Kansas City Chiefs or Houston Texans. “I was about to get up out of here. I was close. I was very close.”

The Bucs receiver was having no discussions about a new contract as his deal was set to expire in March 2024. But Evans also is a huge sports fan and understands what it means not only for a franchise to have heroes, but to keep them.

“I love the fans. I’m a fan of sports. I understand what it is to be a fan and that’s why early in my career I was so passionate, and we were always losing,” Evans said. “That’s why it looked like I had a hot head, I was always complaining to the refs because I wanted to win so bad.

“I’m a fan of sports and football, so I understand what that’s like for the fans to see me and know I’m a normal person.”

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At 32, Evans is again in the final season of a two-year contract that pays him $20.5 million.

But this time, it’s different. There is a general understanding that Evans will end his career in a Tampa Bay uniform, ever since his wife, Ashli, convinced him to stay.

“I hope he wants to play longer and right now the way he’s playing and the way he’s having just a blast, I wouldn’t be surprised,” general manager Jason Licht said.

Evans said he’s approaching this season with a sense of gratitude. He’s not exactly sure when his career may end, but he would like to play for several more years.

“Obviously, the money is great,” he said. “I’m very charitable so I like to make money to help people out and set my family up and I like to do fun s–t, too. The money is great. I just love the game. I love to compete. And while I’m blessed to still have this ability, I’m just going to try and maximize it.

“That’s what every athlete wants to do. Like LeBron (James). Tom (Brady). They wish they could do that, and that’s why I’m trying to maximize that. I don’t think I’m going to make 20 years, but I’m going to try and play as long as I can while I’m at the top of my game.”

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On this day, Evans is sitting in a room at the Westin Hotel in Pittsburgh. One day earlier, he tormented the Steelers defense during a joint practice, routinely beating cornerback Jalen Ramsey and the secondary.

By all accounts, Evans was dominant during training camp. His body is lean and there still is life in his legs. He would like to have one more 1,000-yard receiving season, giving him 12 consecutive and breaking a tie with Jerry Rice for the most in NFL history.

Whenever he retires, Evans will do so as the greatest offensive player in the history of the franchise. Tampa Bay has five players in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, all from the defense: Lee Roy Selmon, Warren Sapp, Derrick Brooks, John Lynch and Ronde Barber.

A first-round pick in the 2014 draft from Texas A&M, Evans, Brandin Cook and Davante Adams are the only receivers who remain in the NFL from his class.

If you saw Evans when he arrived in Tampa Bay, weighing about 240 pounds and frequently missing camp with hamstring issues, you never would have bet his career would be worthy of a first-ballot election to the Hall.

“Now I stay in shape,” said Evans, who plays closer to 220. “I learned that a long time ago and I wished I had learned it sooner. My first two years? I was big. When you see the pictures? I had a fat face. Love handles were even bigger, and that’s like running with the extra weight and I couldn’t do that.

“It was because I didn’t work out all year long. I was 21. I said, ‘All right, I’ll just get in shape.’ Take these three months off and not do s–t. Play basketball here and there. Now I give my trainer a week or two after the season. We start out light and then we just build up gradually.”

In addition to changing his diet, Evans and the Bucs training staff created a training regimen that calls for plenty of practice time but is followed by a day off here and there for rest and recovery.

“Routine is very important right now,” Evans said. “My body knows, and in my mind, I know I’ve done this before and if I stick to my routine. I feel fine, and this camp I’ve been feeling really, really, really good. That’s what it is.”

Coaches and teammates have raved about how explosive and healthy Evans looks and feels.

“I’ve never seen him better,” head coach Todd Bowles said. “Usually, he gets a tweak here and there and has to sit out. He hasn’t had that. He’s been jumping in every time. He blocks. He runs routes. It looks like he’s having more fun than he’s ever had and he’s found the fountain of youth. We’re going to ride him ‘til the cows come home.”

• • •

Evans is first on the Bucs’ all-time receiving list with 836 receptions for 12,684 yards and 105 touchdowns. His TDs rank first among active players in the NFL and his receiving yards are 24th all time.

Evans has a substantial lead over Chris Godwin (579 receptions, 7,266 yards, 39 TDs), who is second all-time among Bucs receivers. Mark Carrier, who played in Tampa from 1987-1992, is the only other Buc with more than 5,000 yards.

Bucs quarterback Baker Mayfield says because of his considerable physical gifts, Evans doesn’t get enough credit for how much knowledge he brings to the game.

“I think people look at him and see just a physically-gifted guy that can do everything receiver-wise and that’s true,” Mayfield said. “His football intelligence is next level. Understanding coverage, recognition. And also it’s not just coverage. He can see the pressures, and he’ll speed up routes to get open quicker, which not a lot of guys do. You can’t teach that. That’s something that is God given or he’s picked it up over time.

“You can’t take that for granted. When s–t hits the fan, (No.) 13 is going to know what the look is and what’s going on. He’s going to find a way to make it work.”

Evans’ durability has been one of his biggest strengths. He’s only missed seven regular-season games, including three with a hamstring injury last year.

“That year (we won the Super Bowl), I was hurt the most besides last year,” said Evans, who played in all 16 games of the 2020 season. “I was hurt so bad but I just didn’t miss no games. It was really like Tom (Brady) kind of made me play. He didn’t tell me, ‘You need to be out there.’ But it was just his work ethic. He’s always asking me, ‘Do you need treatments?’ He stayed on me. I just played.”

The hamstring injury is why Evans did not tie Rice for the most consecutive 1,000-yard receiving performances until the final play of the 2024 regular season.

The Bucs needed a stop against the Saints in the final minute. Bowles told offensive coordinator Liam Coen to go for the record even though the game would have ended if they had just taken a knee.

“I have this quote that I kind of say to people when they’re either new people or guys getting ready to do something for the first time,” Bowles said. “It’s the four words that I go by all the time: Don’t f–k it up!”

Everyone knew where the ball was going when Evans lined up in the slot; he needed just 5 yards to reach 1,000.

“I had no anxiety. Nothing at all,” Evans said. “I was like, ‘Yo, give me this ball.’ They were all on the same page. Soon as we got that stop, I stood up, put my s–t on and I was ready to go. I was going to get that no matter what. That’s all-time history. You can’t let that pass up. I just thought (the Saints) were going to do me dirty and put two guys on me. It was a good play call because I went in motion and that helped me get off.

“That moment is one of the best moments I’ve ever been a part of by far. It was crazy. It was the loudest I’ve ever heard the stadium. I just felt like out of body when I got it. It was a relief, like, I tied it. Because everybody wanted it. Not just me. So I was like I got to get this not for myself but for my family, my fans, my teammates — everybody wanted it.”

They wanted it for Evans, for his place in history, for the celebration of one of the greatest Bucs of all time who stayed home.

Mike Evans, by the numbers

12,684 Receiving yards for his career, ranking first in Bucs history and 24th all-time in the NFL

105 Receiving touchdowns through 11 seasons, making him the NFL’s active leader

13 Touchdowns in 2023, which led the league

11 Straight 1,000-yard seasons, tying NFL legend Jerry Rice for the league record. Evans is the only player to accomplish the feat starting with his rookie season.

6 Pro Bowl selections

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Hustle and heart secure Mike Evans’ place in Bucs, NFL history

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