The greatest NFL wide receiver of all time is nothing but pumped for the 49ers’ newest offensive weapon.

Pro Football Hall of Fame receiver Jerry Rice expressed his excitement for San Francisco and veteran Mike Evans agreeing to a reported three-year, $60.4 million contract on Monday during the first day of the 2026 NFL free agency negotiation period.

“What happened yesterday with Mike Evans is big,” Rice said Tuesday on 95.7 The Game’s “The Morning Roast” show. “It’s big, I’m serious because now, [the 49ers] actually got this guy. He’s that threat that opposing teams are gonna have to pay attention to, and once you get down by the red zone, it’s like jump ball.”

“That big body against those smaller defensive backs, you throw it up. It’s almost like [an] alley-oop [back in R.C. Owens’ era]. They would just throw it up, and alley-oop, would go get it, and I think the same thing is gonna happen with Mike Evans.”

“What happened yesterday with Mike Evans is BIG! I’m serious now. He’s the threat that opposing teams are gonna have the pay attention to… I’m really fired up right now!”

–@JerryRice on the 49ers Picking Up Mike Evans

@MorningRoast757 pic.twitter.com/hJTZe065my

— 95.7 The Game (@957thegame) March 10, 2026

Evans is a six-time Pro Bowl selection who recorded at least 1,000 receiving yards in each of his first 11 NFL seasons, breaking Rice’s own record for 1,000-yard seasons to start an NFL career.

That streak ended when the one-time Super Bowl champion missed 10 games last season due to hamstring and collarbone injuries. However, when healthy, Evans is a reliable and highly skilled receiver who can make a difference in 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan’s offense.

“This is gonna be exciting,” Rice expressed. “32? Come on, man, I mean, at 32, I just felt like I was a rookie. This guy still got a lot of fire and what he brings to that locker room too, the experience, to see this guy work every day, his preparation, these younger guys are going to be able to witness that.

“You can’t even put a price on that man. You can tell, I’m really fired up right now!”

Evans will be 33 years old once the 2026 NFL season arrives, and at that same age, Rice recorded his career-high 1,848 receiving yards in 1995, along with 15 touchdowns in 16 games.

With franchise quarterback Brock Purdy throwing him the ball, Evans will have plenty of opportunities to flourish in San Francisco if he stays healthy, which certainly would bring even more excitement for Rice.

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