Mike Evans: Emeka Egbuka Called The Game-Winner
September 8th, 2025
Mike Evans was very clear beside his postgame locker last night. He wishes he had been mic’d up for yesterday’s game so fans could have heard rookie receiver Emeka Egbuka advance pleading for the touchdown pass that won the game.
“Right before he caught that last touchdown, he like called it,” Evans said of Egbuka. “He wanted a post route. He said, ‘I’m about to game one.’
Joe wanted more details.
“We were in the huddle and [Egbuka] said we need to run this certain play and I’m going to game [the cornerback],” Evans said. “And I was just like, ‘Maybe we do need to run it.’ And then literally he runs the post and touchdown, next play.”
Damn, all of that from a rookie in the fourth quarter of his first NFL game (video below)
Joe agrees with Evans. It’s a shame they weren’t mic’d up. That edit would have lived on social media for eternity.
Ira Kaufman Talks Bucs’ Bizarre Win, Locker Room Reaction & More
Make that ✌️ for @EgbukaEmeka
📺: #TBvsATL on FOX pic.twitter.com/17FJYxyE4v
— Tampa Bay Buccaneers (@Buccaneers) September 7, 2025
September 8th, 2025 at 10:19 am
Egbuka = Fiery warrior
What a blessing it is to have him with this talent assembled on offense.
September 8th, 2025 at 10:23 am
Bucs WON! This Offense will only improve as will the D!!! On to Houston.
September 8th, 2025 at 10:25 am
The bigger story to this is that Evans supported it. How many other WR1s would have done that? Evans is a true HOFer for many reasons, but that mic-ed up moment would have been a teaching moment for every other WR in the league and for kids everywhere.
September 8th, 2025 at 10:35 am
And how many “fans” wanted an edge rusher in the first round. Emeka is the real deal. Sorry Chris but you’ve been demoted to receiver three.
September 8th, 2025 at 10:36 am
Jason Licht absolutely cackling at the haters of this pick this morning.
The more I think on it, the more I like this win. Bucs were in a road divisional game (always close) in the opening week (rusty) with an injured offense.
September 8th, 2025 at 10:41 am
Mikey deserves a lot of credit, and Shep, for drawing 4 defenders shallow and leaving EE with single coverage. What a ball by Baker and what a snatch by the rookie. WOW.
September 8th, 2025 at 10:48 am
Yes, but that Putrid Pass Defense reared its ugly head several times yesterday. Need to get off the field on 3rd downs. And I am I crazy or did Atlanta go after Dean on every critical passing down they had? Sure seemed that way. Go BUCS!!
September 8th, 2025 at 10:49 am
Me. I wanted a edge rusher. Still do, but that didn’t change the fact that he’s a good pick. No qualms with it.
September 8th, 2025 at 10:55 am
I was at the game. Lots of Bucs’ fans in attendance. Shades of the old Dungy/early Gruden days when the Bucs visited Atlanta. A win is a win, but, what a stinker for most of the game. I was having flashbacks to the Thursday night game last year (which I also attended). There was very little gloating by Bucs’ fans post game. I think we all were exhausted from the emotional roller coaster. The good news: Grit by the D and Baker despite slow starts and questionable calls. And, Egbuka. Wow! Egbuka.
September 8th, 2025 at 10:56 am
Baker maybe threw 3 or 4 good balls yesterday, and Egbuka was the recipient of 2 of them. It’s the first game and we kind of expect the first team to be rusty after no preseason snaps, so I expect even more highlights from the offense as the season progresses. Big props to Mike Evans for supporting the rook and for the rook just making plays like he’s been in the league for years!
September 8th, 2025 at 11:05 am
I wanted an edge rusher and glad I was wrong. Pass rush was a bit anemic but with Godwin and JMac out, we would have been cooked without EE.
September 8th, 2025 at 11:26 am
Think we have a player here boys.
Sometime people forget the measure what your brains, desire to be great and heart run the 40 in.
This dude would clock in at 4.1 on those things
September 8th, 2025 at 11:31 am
Imagine Godwin instead of Shepherd
Evans
Godwin
Ebuka
How do you defend that?
September 8th, 2025 at 11:44 am
Wow I wish they were mic’d up too! And Mike being who he is, went along with it. Says so much about his great character.
September 8th, 2025 at 11:48 am
Watching his post game interview tells you all you need to know about his character…. and I quote “at the end of the day my value, I don’t place it in sports at all, so weather I score 2 touchdowns or not score at all in the NFL, not really what I hang my hat on at the end of the day. Obviously it feels great to put my team in the position to go 1-0 we are trying to go 2-0 now, ALL GLORY TO GOD.
Well rounded human being.
September 8th, 2025 at 11:53 am
Gotta give credit to the forward-thinking smarts of Bucs fans in attendance yesterday (and TV showed quite a few there actually) for mostly wearing creamsicle TB colors to stand out in that crowd as if they had just worn red/white/pewter colored gear – which are more similar to the Falcons – they wouldn’t have stood out so easy on TV
But there was surprisingly a good amount of creamsicle/Bucs fans in that crowd 👏
September 8th, 2025 at 11:54 am
THE REAL DEAL
September 8th, 2025 at 12:03 pm
Thank goodness Koo missed that FG, but there should be a penalty when a timeout is called ahead of time to freeze the kicker and they still hike the ball anyway and the kicker kicks the ball anyways
The whole point of freezing is to freeze the kicker, not allow the Kicker to have an extra kicking rep right before taking the real kick. Especially so in places where wind is a factor and you get to see how the wind affected that ball in the air and adjust accordingly
And I wonder why so many players have these mouthpieces dangling off their face masks the entire game, but almost never put it in for the play. If you’re gonna equip yourself with a mouthpiece, then wear it for the game. Would’ve been like Horace Grant putting the goggles on his head instead of over his eyes where they belonged.
September 8th, 2025 at 12:09 pm
Joe, there is a video of Emeka doing something similar with OSU. He is on the sideline and basically calling a play to be thrown. I cannot remember the exact details but he basically told the team like hey this guy is going to do this so if you just make this play we will score a touchdown. You’ll have to dig it up, it was really insightful, and that is why I drafted him round 9 in fantasy football.
September 8th, 2025 at 12:23 pm
Thank you Licht for Mike, Chris and Emeka among others.
I’m proud of your accomplishments and proud of this team.
We see the importance of INTEGRITY AND COMMITMENT. These are great young adults that young kids can look up to.
Go Bucs!!!!
September 8th, 2025 at 12:24 pm
Next time Egbuka should call for that play with 10 seconds left, they scored too soon. NFL place kickers hardly ever miss chip shot FG’s.
September 8th, 2025 at 12:30 pm
Now be careful guys…you can’t have a letdown on Monday night after as draining as that game was!
September 8th, 2025 at 12:31 pm
Kid is the real deal.
September 8th, 2025 at 12:40 pm
Dang!….just ….Dang!
That is new Bucs Lore!
Go Bucs!
September 8th, 2025 at 12:41 pm
Maybe next weekend Texans might be concerned about EE and give ME13 some lighter coverage
September 8th, 2025 at 12:47 pm
True that, dbbuc711. Once everyone are healthy other teams won’t know who to heavily cover.
September 8th, 2025 at 12:52 pm
Wow, great pass great catch !! Can you imagine what it will be like when Jaylin McMillan and CG 14 are back in action !! Such a powerhouse offense!!
Go Bucs !! Beat the Texans !!
September 8th, 2025 at 12:52 pm
Like Babe calling the shot and Broadway Joe guaranteeing a win.
September 8th, 2025 at 1:10 pm
Broadway Joe should be renamed Overrated Joe. Not even hall of very good. He was lucky.
September 8th, 2025 at 1:35 pm
This Guy….. This Guy right here…… I like this Guy! LfG!
September 8th, 2025 at 1:51 pm
ROOKIE GAME 1 … SERIOUSLY?
In Basketball, that’s when a player calls for the last shot to win-lose the game. That’s WAY DIFFERENT than a coach dialing up your number. That’s putting the entire team on your shoulders and taking all the responsibility.
He did that game one with Mike Evans in the huddle. He’s go that “it” in his DNA.
September 8th, 2025 at 2:09 pm
WHAT A FUC*&^%^!!!!! BALL BY BAKER!!!!!
he sort of reminds me a little bit like Drew Brees???? just a touchdown throwing monster, who can absolutley flat out have the courage and balls to have the game on the line and freaking thread that damn streamline butterfly right between the buttery drripping hinges baby!!!!!!!! sorry about the realistic analogy, im just in the moment!! hahaha GO BUCS BABY!!!! GO BAKER!!! GO EBUKA!!!
September 8th, 2025 at 2:54 pm
I’m excited to watch this kid play the rest of the way!
September 8th, 2025 at 4:50 pm
stay healthy 2
September 8th, 2025 at 8:36 pm
2, my Bu!!
September 8th, 2025 at 10:43 pm
I love Evans being the one to break this story and how he was the first one there to celebrate with Egbuka. A true leader/mentor. We’re fortunate to have both of them.