Mike Evans is the most accomplished offensive player in the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' nearly 50-year history, and he's almost certainly destined for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. However, his Buccaneer story is not yet close to being complete.
On Monday, Evans and the Buccaneers began a new chapter together, agreeing to a two-year contract that keeps the five-time Pro Bowl receiver with the only NFL franchise he has known. The deal is the Buccaneers' first major step in keeping together the nucleus that won the team's third straight NFC South title in 2023, and it comes a little over a week before Evans could have tested the free agent market for the first time in his illustrious career.
Originally a first-round pick (seventh overall) in 2014, Evans has maintained an elite level of play in a manner unprecedented in NFL history. He is the first player in league annals to surpass 1,000 receiving yards in each of the first 10 seasons of his career, a record four years longer than Randy Moss in second place. That included a 2023 campaign that ranks among his best, as he hauled in 79 passes for 1,255 yards and 13 touchdowns. Evans tied for the league lead in touchdown receptions and ranked ninth in receiving yards, and his 15.9 yards per catch was his highest mark since 2019.
Evans put up his big numbers in 2023 while working with a new quarterback, as the Buccaneers signed former first-overall draft pick Baker Mayfield following the retirement of Tom Brady. Mayfield and Evans quickly formed a very productive chemistry and the Bucs were clearly motivated to keep their offensive core intact in 2024. Mayfield is also a pending unrestricted free agent, but both he and the team have indicated a desire to extend their relationship.
Evans is the Buccaneers all-time leader in receptions (762), receiving yards (11,680), touchdown receptions (94), total touchdowns (95) and 100-yard receiving games (36). He ranks second in points scored (578), only 14 points behind record-holder Martin Gramatica, and is 10th in games played (154) and fifth in games started (153). In nine postseason games, he has added 45 catches for 709 yards, five touchdowns and four 100-yard receiving games.
Evans' Hall of Fame credentials are evident in his climb up the NFL's all-time receiving charts. His 94 touchdown catches currently rank 13th in league history and second among active players behind the Las Vegas Raiders' Davante Adams (95). With six more scoring grabs in 2024 he could become just the 11th player in NFL annals to reach the 100-touchdown mark. He ranks 33rd in league history in receiving yards and another 1,000-yard season would put him within striking distance of the top 20.
Evans has joined a trio of Hall of Famers – Moss, Jerry Rice and Marvin Harrison – as the only players ever to surpass 11,000 receiving yards and 90 touchdowns over their first 10 seasons. Evans' total of 10 1,000-yard receiving seasons are tied for the second most in NFL history, matching Moss's total and trailing only the 14 posted by Jerry Rice. His streak of 10 straight 1,000-yard campaigns at any point in a player's career is just one behind the record of 11 established by Rice.
This is the third multi-year contract that Evans has signed with the Buccaneers and extends the possibility of him playing his entire career in Tampa. His original deal as a rookie covered five seasons, but before the beginning of his team-option fifth year he inked a new five-year extension that ran through last season. He has also agreed to multiple restructurings along the way in order to create cap space. He is now set to become the first receiver and eighth player in Buccaneers history to play at least 11 seasons with the team.
