The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will have to fully prepare for life after Mike Evans after the franchise legend left Tampa Bay in free agency to sign with the San Francisco 49ers. Unfortunately for both parties, the Bucs at least got a little taste of what that’d be like in 2025.
Evans missed nine games last year, partially due to a hamstring strain he suffered in Week 2 and then to a broken collarbone that he injured during a game against the Detroit Lions in Week 8. It was the longest amount of time that Evans had ever missed while playing for the Buccaneers, and though he was able to come back at the end of the season, he failed to reach 1,000 yards receiving for the first time in his career.
Evans is now a 49er, so he recently appeared on his new teammate Fred Warner’s podcast, G.O.A.T Farm Sports. Warner asked him about the injuries he suffered last season, and Evans opened up on what it was like being away from the Buccaneers.
Mike Evans speaks on last year’s injuries with Buccaneers
Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans (13) reacts a touchdown during the first half | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images
Evans said that it was tough to sit out with so many people depending on him, but the way he was able to recover from his injuries last year gave him a “second wind”.
“It was tough. I wanted to be out there with my guys. I’m paid to play the game. You know, people are coming to watch me play, and then we’re trying to make the playoffs and make a playoff push. And, you know, I’m not there,” Evans said. “So, obviously, that part hurt, but my family, my friends, my teammates, they all made it so easy, really.
“Like, I just rehabbed really, really hard, and I was able to come back… I didn’t think I’d be able to come back at all last season. I finished, you know, playing four games, and I would have been available for the playoffs. So, it was unfortunate, but it kind of gave me a second wind.”
Unfortunately for the Bucs, Evans won’t be utilizing that second wind with Tampa Bay. Evans left for a new challenge in San Francisco, where he’ll try to win another Super Bowl and cement his legacy as a Hall of Famer. He signed on with the 49ers for just $16,300,000 guaranteed, so he clearly thinks his chances of doing that are better in San Francisco than they are in Tampa Bay.
The Bucs, meanwhile, saw what they could do without him in the lineup, and now, they’ll have Emeka Egbuka playing with more experience in his second year and both Chris Godwin and Jalen McMillan fully back in the fold after injuries hampered their 2025 season. The Buccaneers could still use an X wide receiver, and while they may acquire one as soon as the NFL Draft, they’ll have to make due without Evans and the skillset he offers.
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