Losing is hateful to Mike Evans.
Look, Joe isn’t sweating.
Yesterday it was learned that Bucs legend Mike Evans wants to play football in 2025. Somewhere.
Evans’ agent, Deryk Gilmore, a known fearmonger, said his agent will give the Bucs a chance to re-sign him but his client will test the free agent waters.
Yeah. Remember when Gilmore had Evans with one foot out the door before?
The only thing that is going to chase Evans to the Chiefs or the Texans or the Bills or the Eagles or the Commandos is if he thinks the Bucs have no shot of getting back to the playoffs.
Evans, even a couple of years ago, said he had zero desire to return to the Lost Decade ways of the Bucs. If he thought that was happening two years ago he would have likely signed with the Chiefs.
So the best way to keep Evans is that the Bucs are going to have to sell him that they are going back to the playoffs. If the Bucs can stay healthy, they have the offense to do this, no doubt.
But the defense? Well, that’s going to be a tough sell.
You saw the clips of Evans melting down on the sidelines during the defense’s choke job against Atlanta. You should have seen Evans crash out in the tunnel after the game.
Joe was standing across the tunnel from the Bucs’ locker room entrance and just about 20 feet from Joe, Evans blew up. Joe thought for a second, Evans was about to collapse as he doubled over in rage, hollering as if someone kicked him squarely in the groin.
Bucs fans can sympathize because that’s what the Bucs’ defense was good forlast year.
That reaction from Evans was both genuine and demonstrated how much he loathes losing. If Evans thinks how the Bucs tanked against Atlanta may repeat itself a few times this fall, then the Bucs better start bracing now for life after Evans.
Why would Mike Evans return to the Buccaneers? Legacy & Family. @TheChrisMathis is 95.7% sure Mike Evans will play in Tampa next season. Are you?#WeAreTheKrewe pic.twitter.com/GTfDAnGrFU
— 95.3 WDAE & AM620 – coming soon to 95.7 FM (@957WDAE) February 18, 2026