Baker Mayfield Is Confident Mike Evans Will Return
January 29th, 2026
Somewhere on Davis Islands, Baker Mayfield is laughing at today’s fresh rumor/report that pending free agent Mike Evans is thinking of moving on from the Buccaneers.
Mayfield was asked to make a plea for Evans to return to the Bucs on yesterday’s edition of The Rondé Barber Show, a WFLA streaming property.
Mayfield said it’s unnecessary.
“Mike’s too much of a competitor and cares too much about Tampa to end his career without 1,000 yards, without a division championship, without a playoff run,” Mayfield said. “First of all, that just speaks to who Mike is, but that’s the truth. And you know he doesn’t want to do that. You can just kind of feel it. Listen, I don’t have any info. I’ve told Mike, ‘This is your decision. Take your time doing it.’ But understanding who Mike is, this is my guess — that he doesn’t want to end it that way. He knows the potential [in Tampa] if we’re able to stay a little bit more healthy. Zac [Robinson] will do great things for us and we’ll go from there.
“But Mike’s got more in the tank. You could tell with the energy, the fire he had at the end of the year.”
Commenting on Evans’ football tank potentially being close to empty, Mayfield said it’s “not even close.”
As Joe wrote, If Evans’ really is thinking hard about another team, the Bucs have the franchise tag at their disposal. That would stop Evans from moving on in 2026.
January 29th, 2026 at 12:58 pm
Gotta admire Baker’s loyalty and salesmanship. Baker is a great teammate!!
January 29th, 2026 at 1:00 pm
Really? Yeah let’s disrespect the greatest WR to ever wear the Bucs jersey by blocking him from going elsewhere to ACTUALLY try to win a title.
Straight up b$tch move there.
Were you calling it that when they did it twice to the second-best receiver in Bucs history? It’s business. Evans would be paid incredibly well if it ended up there, which it won’t.–Joe
Toad Bowels sucks.
3rd and 28
January 29th, 2026 at 1:05 pm
lets hope Mike returns!!!!
he’s the only DAWG with killer instinct on the team!!!
GO BUCS!!!!
January 29th, 2026 at 1:06 pm
We all know he’ll be back. Like Baker said, he wants another 1k season and help the team.
January 29th, 2026 at 1:13 pm
The Bucs waste a lot of money on old, injured players
They waste premium draft picks on worthless defensive players
The draft capital could be use to trade for young, proven defensive players
And the money could be use for signing quality free agents
Mike Evans time is up in Tampa
It’s time to move on from him
January 29th, 2026 at 1:28 pm
Bucs need to rebuild.
Not another painful 9 win NFCS Championship and 1st round exit.
They need to be done with Bowles, Baker, and potentially Licht.
Time to move on, Mike. Go chase a ring.
Real fans will support your happiness. You’ve earned it.
FREE M1K3!
January 29th, 2026 at 1:55 pm
Get the hell out of here Mike ! This organization sucks ! Remember Third and 28 !!
January 29th, 2026 at 2:16 pm
The whole 3rd and 28 thing is cute, but yall forget the real 3-28 insult is to the falcons, who blew a 3-28 lead in the Super Bowl.
3-28 will always be a falcons diss, we should move on
January 29th, 2026 at 2:28 pm
Rondebabertime=🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡
January 29th, 2026 at 2:30 pm
no suppose dog loyality left in sports all about money Steven Stamkos helped bring the lighting out of being a sh**t show played hurt great team captain gave everything to his team and community took less on his contract small market team and then oh your old see ya will offer nothing so we can get younger its a business Mikes story is the same helped the bucs out you reward men like that
January 29th, 2026 at 2:30 pm
“Without a division championship”
Good grief.
Anybody else catch that. That’s the mindset that has been build into this team, the culture if you will. The height of heights under Todd Bowles.
That mindset has to be broken.
January 29th, 2026 at 2:31 pm
Lakeland=🤡🤡🤡🤡. Evans will prove you wrong next season and I look forward to making you eats crow. He’s still one of the best in the game at his position. Bucs didn’t waste any money on him.
January 29th, 2026 at 2:39 pm
I don’t believe for a second Mike is leaving, we heard all this same talk a couple of years ago too.
If he Mike did leave it says everything about what he thinks of Baker – and the chances of Baker winning anything.
I hope that isn’t the case.
January 29th, 2026 at 2:41 pm
Deeboooo Says:
January 29th, 2026 at 2:16 pm
The whole 3rd and 28 thing is cute, but yall forget the real 3-28 insult is to the falcons, who blew a 3-28 lead in the Super Bowl.
3-28 will always be a falcons diss, we should move on
——
HAHAHA
I don’t know how just flipping the order made me not see that.
Actually makes me want to bring it up when talking to Falcons fans now, like I didn’t realize what I was saying and pretend as if it’s a compliment, just to see their PTSD reaction.
January 29th, 2026 at 2:48 pm
Need Mike Evans in this offense. No one like him in the league.
Much respect to M1k3 – take your time – but we need you!
January 29th, 2026 at 4:21 pm
Rod Munch=🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡
If Mike leaves it’s because 3rd and 28.
So shut up
January 29th, 2026 at 4:29 pm
Rod Munch Says:
“I don’t believe for a second Mike is leaving, we heard all this same talk a couple of years ago too.”
Same. I think there is a chance he retires, but if he doesn’t, he’ll play for the Bucs. Without the tag.
January 29th, 2026 at 4:32 pm
Id be pissed if I were Mike the way the season ended. Worked his A$$ off to get healthy only to come back and Bowles chooses to turtle and run the ball 50 times. And defense, Todd’s specialty, was absolute trash. I think Mike is prob wondering why Bowles is still here. If I were Mike and truely wanted to come back, I’d make sure they know certain things need to happen. Play the game until you get what you want.
January 29th, 2026 at 4:40 pm
@rod much, lakeland, Melvin, 813bucboi and all other idiots
Bakers I jury list includes
2 unspecified knee injuries
Oblique
Right Biceps
Left AC joint sprain
Unspecified RIGHT shoulder injury.
Yall are pathetic for always blaming Mayfield when he was forced to play this injured cause our HC and GM were too incompetent to get decent backup to allow him to rest.but no, they chose Bridgewater, right out of coaching high-school.
3rd and 28
January 29th, 2026 at 4:45 pm
@rod much, lakeland, Melvin, 813bucboi and all others
Bakers I jury list includes
2 unspecified knee injuries
Oblique
Right Biceps
Left AC joint sprain
Unspecified RIGHT shoulder injury.
Yall are pathetic for always blaming Mayfield when he was forced to play this injured cause our HC and GM were too incompetent to get decent backup to allow him to rest.but no, they chose Bridgewater, right out of coaching high-school.
3rd and 28
January 29th, 2026 at 4:47 pm
@rod much, lakeland, Melvin, 813bucboi and all others
Bakers I jury list includes
2 unspecified knee injuries
Oblique
Right Biceps
Left AC joint sprain
Unspecified RIGHT shoulder injury.
Yall are pathetic for always blaming Mayfield when he was forced to play this injured cause our HC and GM were too incompetent to get decent backup to allow him to rest.but no, they chose Bridgewater, right out of coaching high-school.
3rd and 28
January 29th, 2026 at 4:59 pm
@rod much, lakeland, Melvin, 813bucboi and all other idiots
Bakers I jury list includes
2 unspecified knee injuries
Oblique
Right Biceps
Left AC joint sprain
Unspecified RIGHT shoulder injury.
Yall are sad for always blaming Mayfield when he was forced to play this injured cause our HC and GM were too incompetent to get decent backup to allow him to rest.but no, they chose Bridgewater, right out of coaching high-school.
3rd and 28
January 29th, 2026 at 5:03 pm
I don’t want to see it happen but damn do they need a lot of money for that defense.
January 29th, 2026 at 5:26 pm
I really feel for ME13. I think he SHOULD have at least 1 more SB.
The year AB went wild, you know the same dude that has an attempted murder charge now. And people (TB) gave BA flack for telling him to leave.
But the innocent bystander was none other than Mike Evans, who has always done it RIGHT. Throw in some dumb Todd Bowels years and there you have it.
I think at this point in his historic career, he needs to Chase CHAMPIONSHIPS.
If that is with the Bucs, $15 Million tops. Take a back seat and be a Red Zone threat, and enjoy wins whatever that means.
That said, if the Bucs seriously don’t think this is a SB year, money would be better spent on Max Crosby, Khalil Mack etc. We have so many good WRs let’s spend WISELY.
I think this next year can be salvaged. Remember David Walker will be like having an extra draft pick.
Zyon can’t be worse and if Dean comes back for $5 Million we can spend on DEs (You know that new 4-3 with McDermott) or ILBs.
The biggest thing I am hoping for, is Todd brings in a DC.
FA, Draft Well and move on.
Gonna be some good coaches next year for sure.
Cheers. Go Bucs.
January 29th, 2026 at 5:40 pm
Yeah Deebooooooo… that third and28 is cute and pathetic ! Have you enjoyed the playoffs by the way ?
January 29th, 2026 at 6:48 pm
He go for the biggest ‘bag’. That is what they do.
January 29th, 2026 at 7:49 pm
He can do whatever he wants to do! He’s earned it. No sense in being upset or ugly about it. I believe there is a comfort Mike has with Baker vs the unknown of going somewhere else but I definitely would enjoy watching ME13 catch passes from Mahommes or Josh Allen. He played with a lot of garbage QBs over his tenure here. I will be happy and grateful for all the memories but hoping he stays.
January 29th, 2026 at 8:23 pm
Buccaneer Bonzai Says:
I think there is a chance he retires, but if he doesn’t, he’ll play for the Bucs. Without the tag.
———
Mike is not retiring – he still looks fantastic, would have had a huge end to the year if Baker was even remotely accurate.
Mike will probably play until he’s like 37 or 38, and he’ll be an elite WR for another couple of years. No reason to retire, certainly not coming off this year.
Last time we went through this, the Rams had thought Evans was a done deal – and instead he at the last second came back home. I really don’t think he wants to go anywhere, and again, if he does, it’s a huge indictment on what he thinks of Baker. But, again, I really honestly don’t think he goes anywhere.
January 29th, 2026 at 8:37 pm
If Evans had a competent QB throwing to him he might set a single season yardage record.
January 30th, 2026 at 3:00 am
Baker calls Super Bowl Playoff Run. He is first!!!
January 30th, 2026 at 7:45 am
If Mike wants to go let him carry his *##. Mike is on the out 🤷🏾♂️ gets hurt every season, up there in age. I love Mike my Fav buc of all time but if he wants to go elsewhere let him go , move on and focus on who’s there. We are well equipped at the position if he decides to haul *##. KC Buffalo and maybe Denver is the only spots he can go to and have a real chance at winning another SB. Any other team and it’s playoffs MAYBE. 💯💯
January 30th, 2026 at 8:34 am
I would love to see Mike come back and go out the right way. I also believe that he does want to end his career here. I think he wants to prove that it was simply the injury that ended the streak and nothing else. If you factor in all of the craziness and coaches and quarterbacks that he has caught passes from in his career here you know that he was only dependent upon his own ability to be successful.
As far as possibly using the franchise tag to keep him in any other circumstance I would agree but not here. For the same reason that this Baker suggests that Mike wants to end his career here and loves Tampa, it would only make sense that they leave that decision to him where he plays next year. Doesn’t feel right to use the tag and force his decision he needs to go out on his terms. Offer the contract and let him decide. He’s already shown that he wants to be paid for his ability but not at the detriment of his team. Do the right thing and trust that he will also.
Offering him the opportunity to come back should not be a decision as he has clearly earned that right, and if we just have to eat the salary call it a severance We as Tampa fans know that he has definitely earned it as he could have left this team when it was struggling a long time ago and would probably have had an even more successful career.
January 30th, 2026 at 3:37 pm
BAKER MAYFIELD HAS THE MAGIC- Bruce Arians Superbowl winning coach!!!🤣
January 30th, 2026 at 3:42 pm
Mikes not retiring or going anywhere. He knows as long as Baker is here he has a legitimate chance at a superbowl. It’s one of the reasons why him and Godwin stayed. If they left that would tell you about Baker. But they didn’t, they stayed. That should tell you all about Baker. What players DO is how you know how they really feel and they stayed. Didn’t they…
January 31st, 2026 at 12:24 pm
Millions work every time.