About Mike Evans’ Summer
September 2nd, 2025
Still drinking Jalen Ramsey’s Gatorade.
Joe realizes Mike Evans did not play in preseason and the vast majority of readers here don’t attend training camp. Also, the Bucs, courtesy of Todd Bowles, don’t allow media to film and share matchups seen in practice.
Also, Joe knows detailed summer practice notes here are not Joe’s hottest seller on the daily Bucs buffet.
So with that in mind, Joe feels compelled to share again that Mike Evans had a truly extraordinary training camp. He often looked like an elite high school athlete basketball player running with the JV.
Bucs rookie cornerback Benjamin Morrison, when he was healthy four weeks ago, got worked over by Evans repeatedly. And there were other victims.
Evans had a comical walk-off touchdown in a joint practice against the Titans in Tampa. And Evans’ summer culminated a week later when he shamed stud cornerback Jalen Ramsey multiple times in the Steelers’ crib. Joe had the pleasure of standing on the sideline for that joint practice.
Evans has had a healthy summer, uncommon for him, and he’s been fine tuning for Sunday’s season-opener in Atlanta. The greatest Bucs receiver in history may be in the best shape of his career.
Joe would have been bullish on Evans’ season if he had a decent camp and missed 10 days with a hamstring or calf tweak. But Evans looked like a man on a mission, and Joe doesn’t want that to be overlooked.
The beast will be unleashed Sunday, though Evans doesn’t typically have strong games in Atlanta. One of his best came last year, 5 catches for 62 yards and 2 touchdowns in the Bucs’ overtime loss. In 2023, Evans’ trip to Atlanta netted 1 catch for 8 yards on 6 targets.
September 2nd, 2025 at 5:29 pm
“Joe would have been bullish on Evans’ season if he had a decent camp and missed 10 days with hamstring of calf tweak.“
Don’t be a jinx, Joe.
September 2nd, 2025 at 5:40 pm
NO hammy issue!!!!!!!!
I am curious to see how much he has an impact with receiving. We know he’ll have an impact taking double teams all day.
That should free up Egbuka, other receivers, Otton, and Bucky
I am very curious to see how Grizz is going to call the game. Preseason was not extremely impressive, but I didn’t expect them to open the playbook. To me that was probably more about getting formations and communications correct
September 2nd, 2025 at 5:46 pm
If Evans plays like you described all camp, he should blow up week 1 and shred Atlanta.
Let’s hope so.
September 2nd, 2025 at 6:07 pm
Not to hijack your thread but any word on Cade Otton?
September 2nd, 2025 at 6:34 pm
LOL Who?
September 2nd, 2025 at 7:49 pm
M1K3 will paint his masterpiece this season
September 2nd, 2025 at 7:59 pm
32 is nothing
September 2nd, 2025 at 8:45 pm
Evan’s doesn’t rely on the Bucs incompetent training and medical staff anymore. He’s got his own thing. Glad it’s going well. Maybe Morrison should see Mikey’s people.
Meanwhile, wait for Mikey to be in the game late when Todd finds himself down 3 scores, and Bates severs his head from his body. Todd is prone to get players injured for no good reason.
September 2nd, 2025 at 8:50 pm
I’m telling you guys, looking at his HOF comparables – they all had at least three more 1000 yard seasons after turning 32, with most averaging over 1000 yards a year until they retired, which was normally around the age of 38. People need to keep thinking Mike is going to put out to pasture anytime soon, and start thinking that he’s going to continue to be the teams #1 WR for another half decade. He’s shown zero signs of slowing down, and literally has looked faster the last couple of years, than at any other time in his career. He might just now be at his peak, instead of at his end.
September 2nd, 2025 at 9:13 pm
Mike, early on and into his late 20’s, was criticized for making the great catch and dropping the easy ones. Those days are gone.
A seemingly first ballot HOF’er, I’m thinking he has a mere two things on his 2025 mind; another 1000 yard season and another ring. The first, if he remains healthy, is damn near a given. The second is based on coaching and the play of the 21 others on both sides of the ball. Let’s hope Bowles has removed enough of his questionable in game decisions, via recently hired surrogates, to make this a season to remember.
September 2nd, 2025 at 9:33 pm
Sounds like he really enjoys the new wrinkles Grizzard has in the offense for him. That could put pep in your step. I’m sure he is motivated to take that 1000 yard streak record to himself as well.
I’m sure he could play another 6 years at a high level but… it seems like he is dropping hints that he won’t go for too much longer. Would love to see him ball out this season, the team to have great success and sign back for another 2 years. The year by year makes me nervous. Gonna be a sad day when he hangs them up.
September 2nd, 2025 at 9:46 pm
They will double ME13 but Grizz has a lot of tricks to play this Sunday and way past Halloween! Let the fun begin!!!
September 2nd, 2025 at 9:49 pm
August 2016 – Larry Fitzgerald, turned 33 just before the year began…
…Last month, Fitzgerald said he would be lying if he didn’t think about retirement, but he’s not close to that point yet.
“I have lot of good football left in me,” Fitzgerald told the NFL Network. “But I feel great. I can still play at a high level, so I just take it one year at a time.”
Now he has another year and contract through the 2017 season.
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Guys always talk about retirement at this time since it’s expected, yet they keep coming back if they can perform. Fitz played another 5 years after that quote.
September 2nd, 2025 at 9:53 pm
Please don’t throw a short pass to Evans where he has to run 40 more yards.
My biggest worry.
Caddilac Williams ended his career being caught from behind also. Different circumstances.
September 2nd, 2025 at 9:57 pm
Rod, wouldn’t that be something? Evans closed out last year strong and had a great playoff game. Made Lattimore look old. He’s taking great care of himself. Aqualung, speaking of Jesse Bates, that dude knocked the ball out of each of our backs and QBs hands last time we played. Only Rachaads was a turnover. Costly one. The first time we played them last year I think it was Bates who knocked it loose from Bucky. Costly again. You could almost say that dude won Atlanta both those games last year. I hope Mike can catch this Jesse on an old fashioned “crackback” block Sunday. That might be worth a touchdown catch!
September 2nd, 2025 at 11:17 pm
And rookie Billy Bowman is getting the start at Nickel Sunday. He’s a playmaker just like that Bates is. I was hoping that if we weren’t getting him that we wouldn’t have to play against him. The Falcons are definitely going to have a puncher’s chance. But I’m going with the Boxer in this match and I believe we make a statement Sunday.
September 2nd, 2025 at 11:31 pm
Is it possible to get 1000 yards in one game? Atlanta would be the team to make it happen! Go Evans!
September 3rd, 2025 at 12:24 am
Kenton Smith Says:
September 2nd, 2025 at 9:57 pm
Rod, wouldn’t that be something? Evans closed out last year strong and had a great playoff game
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I think the comparables to Evans, looking at the history of big WRs, is Fitz and Owens, both played until 38, and were very productive (Owens a lot more so than Fitz). The other guy who you might say is Moss, but I’d say while he’s the best WR I’ve ever seen, he relied on his speed and his insane leaping ability, and while he was very productive at age 32, he was clearly not his former self, had lost a step (or was just lazy) and he quickly fell off a cliff in his age 33 season. But Evans has no work habit issues, and shouldn’t just fall off with no warning. And hearing he’s having his best camp, along with what you’ve seen the last few years where he seemingly is faster than he’s ever been, it just makes me think he’s going to be one of those guys who plays into their late 30s, and is ultra productive the entire time. The doom and gloom about him being ready to retire, I don’t see it.
September 3rd, 2025 at 12:25 am
Bucswin Says:
September 2nd, 2025 at 11:31 pm
Is it possible to get 1000 yards in one game? Atlanta would be the team to make it happen! Go Evans!
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Well, if Evans was going against Bowles garbage zone defense, he might put up 1000 yards in a game.
Hopefully with reinforcements on defense, we’ll see Todd actually mix things up, and go back to the style he won a SB with, instead of the trash we saw last year when he lead the league in zone and gave up over 500 yards in the air in Atlanta.
September 3rd, 2025 at 4:33 am
So happy Mike is healthier and looking better than ever. Can’t wait for the game this Sunday. Go Bucs!
September 3rd, 2025 at 7:07 am
“Joe had the pleasure of standing on the sideline for that joint practice.”
Shame that you get more respect in Pittsburg than in Tampa Joe….Sad
Go Bucs!