The Next Level For Mike Evans
July 8th, 2021
Yes, Mike Evans is a superstar. Heck, his average of 78 yards receiving per game ranks seventh in NFL history.
Evans also owns the record for consecutive seasons of 1,000 yards or more receiving. It stands at seven and he’s gunning for eight.
With all that and a Super Bowl ring before his 28th birthday next month, it’s obvious that Evans is on a Hall of Fame track. But there is still room for improvement.
Tom Brady sort of illustrated that in the new episode of In The Current, the Bucs’ in-house summer video series at Buccaneers.com.
In a scene featuring the Bucs’ Week 17 home game, with Evans just shy of another 1,000-yard season, there was chatter about how driven Evans was and that he was an angry worker on that day.
“Man, he was determined to get it. He was so pissed off in that game,” Tom Brady said. “He was how I love seeing Mike play. When he’s focused and in the zone, I mean he’s unstoppable.”
That got Joe thinking. Hey, if Brady says Evans plays better when he’s pissed off and dialed in hard, then it’s time for Evans to hear the calling and be like that more often.
At heart, Evans is a true nice guy. That’s why he’s been the Bucs’ nominee for the Walter Payton award. But Joe and other Bucs fans also have seen plenty of Evans’ fiery side on various levels.
Joe hopes Evans can channel more of that fire Brady loves so much. It might be what it takes to propel Evans to another level.
He certainly has the talent to deliver again the kind of workhorse, manbeast season he had in 2018.
July 8th, 2021 at 3:56 pm
Mike’s 1st love is basketball. He plays football b/c he’s good at it.
July 8th, 2021 at 4:03 pm
It’s all about focusing your anger correctly. Having extra determination to make a play because your pissed-off is good. Getting an unsportsmanlike penalty because your pissed-off is bad. When you truly focus that anger correctly you might just get to “killer instinct” level.
July 8th, 2021 at 4:18 pm
Mike Evans has made his bones! It’s not just numbers and stats. It’s ME13’s consistent warrior mentality no matter who was under center for the Bucs!!!
From MG to Josh McCown to Famous Jameis to TB12 the GOAT…ME13 has simply been MONEY$$$$$
The competition is now pure for ME and all the Bucs…just as it’s been for Brady.
Nothing to prove other than to oneself. Can they put forth the maximum effort once again? Will they lay it on the line? I suspect yes.
July 8th, 2021 at 4:20 pm
Evans is only 28yo?!!!
The Bucs have been blessed with a lot of great WR – Keyshawn, VJax, Galloway, DeSean. Evans stands above them all.
Greatest Buc in history.
July 8th, 2021 at 4:27 pm
when he is in the zone and focused…………chasing stats, thats why him and jdub were so tight
he was below average 1/2 the season, and don’t give me injury BS
July 8th, 2021 at 4:29 pm
He is going to rip like he did in college now with a QB that can hit him in stride!
So much pass catching talent, going to be a lot of big plays !
July 8th, 2021 at 5:11 pm
I used to watch ME in High School. I lived in Galveston.
I didn’t move to Montana until 2013. I was SOO hoping we took him in the Draft.
July 8th, 2021 at 5:14 pm
Evans WILL hold the title as the Best WR in Buccaneer History!
Most likely forever.
July 8th, 2021 at 5:20 pm
Mebbe he can figure how to focus that anger on Marshawn
July 8th, 2021 at 5:36 pm
Evans is very very good but sadly not as great as some think.
In 7 games in 2020 he was held to 3 or fewer catches. No other Elite or top 10 receiver was contained or shut down as frequently as Mike Evans.
Dude needs to bounce back in 2021
July 8th, 2021 at 5:39 pm
He probably shouldn’t have been in several games, I’m thinking they used him as a decoy. The guy kicks arse in getting PI penalties
July 8th, 2021 at 6:15 pm
He did nothing wrong lighting Lattimore up, just trying to protect his QB
July 8th, 2021 at 6:16 pm
Everytime I’ve noticed Evans visibly pissed, he’s has not played very well.
July 8th, 2021 at 6:35 pm
Buc bro u are tripping. Mike was held down because brady did not truly understand the offense. Why do you think miller led the team in receptions and yards the 1st half of the season? Brady was targeting miller and even mikens early on often on short slants. Arians said they had to show brady that while the five yard slant is cool, you are missing the 40 yard chunk play. Once brady figured out the offense, mike exploded. I guess you missed after like week when arians was asked why is mike not getting the ball, arians responded no mike is open, we just have to get him the ball. Idiot fans and media claimed that arians was throwing brady under the bus and the relationship was strained. The truth was mike was open but brady was just not comfortable with everything. You cant set the record for 1000 yrd seasons, lead the nfl in tds since 2014 and not be elite.
July 8th, 2021 at 6:57 pm
Mike Evans needs no extra motivation. He is a man.
July 8th, 2021 at 7:35 pm
Unquestionably, the best Buc WR in history….and he’s not through……he is the definition of a beast…..a stud…….a great, great Buccaneer.
July 8th, 2021 at 8:04 pm
Bucs Bro Says:
July 8th, 2021 at 5:36 pm
Evans is very very good but sadly not as great as some think.
In 7 games in 2020 he was held to 3 or fewer catches. No other Elite or top 10 receiver was contained or shut down as frequently as Mike Evans.
Dude needs to bounce back in 2021
……………….
AbsoLUTELY the dumbest cherry picking I have EVER seen.
Congrats man.
July 8th, 2021 at 8:48 pm
That In The Current is more money than Ira back in the Brooklyn Disco Dance Clubs. I’m glad Evans got the consecutive 1000 yard season record to start a career ( barely as it turns out ) and even more glad his knee slippage wasn’t an ACL tear.
July 8th, 2021 at 9:43 pm
It’s what the natty’s don’t know or tell you when they talk about the Bucs return to another Super Bowl win. EVERYONE was so dedicated to the GOAT when he signed and he proved its not NE, it’s just me in one year 2020. These guys are more fired up than I and that’s pretty funkin fired up. Arians and Brady don’t allow non professionalism. “We haven’t won sh!t.” should be on the banners at Ray Jay.
July 8th, 2021 at 10:29 pm
Johnny Manziel owes his career to Mike Evans
July 8th, 2021 at 11:00 pm
Wow Robert, seems more than a little harsh. Evans played on one leg basically for multiple games, I think he gets a pass for not being his usual self for the entirety of those games.
July 8th, 2021 at 11:15 pm
And to think- some message board hosts wanted -no, begged – for the cheap whiskey of quarterbacking, Johnny Effen Football.
July 8th, 2021 at 11:17 pm
Mike is the third best receiver in the last ten years, behind only Brown and Moss. That is incredibly impressive when you consider some of the quarterbacks that he’s had.
July 9th, 2021 at 1:31 am
Evans plays better under control. As his game matures, he seems to be getting the benefit of the call when the flag is thrown. I would be interested in knowing the hidden yardage (good and bad) of all the flags thrown on his interactions. If you want to fire ME13 up, go to him early and often.
July 9th, 2021 at 8:18 am
Let’s be real. For too long Mike was our only big threat. Last year we had multiple threats. Going forward Mike likely will be making fewer catches as Brady now has multiple star receivers. But his height and hands will always be an exceptional threat in the red zone and possession routes. And his skill sets force double coverage which leaves our other receivers with single coverage by dbs or double with lbs. Somebody will be open on every play.
July 9th, 2021 at 9:14 am
Sorry SB, the stats don’t lie. Evans has rarely been elite throughout his career. 2016 and 2019 were the only years I’d argue that he’s been a elite player at his position. He’s been consistently good with two Elite years thrown in there.
In 2020 he was 32nd in catches, and 18th in yards neither is elite production.
He’s only finished in the top 10 in receiving yards twice in 7 seasons.
Fans like to hype up 7 years in a row with 1,000 yards receiving. He squeaked by the 1,000 yard mark by 1 yard in 2017, 51 yards his rookie year, and by 6 yards in 2020.
I love that he’s a TD machine but let’s be real and look at production from other players Mike is consistently good but not elite.
July 9th, 2021 at 2:21 pm
OK Bucs Bro.
Just forget that it is a team game and he was the Only target for his first 5 years and still produced even when the other team Knew he was getting the ball
ME has done NOTHING but produce on bad teams.
Whatever your definition of elite is needs to be re-defined.