Mike Evans Talks About 49ers Being The Best Spot For Him
April 15th, 2026
It was a painful listen but Joe got through it.
Buccaneers legend Mike Evans now plays wide receiver for the 49ers. He’ll report to his new team next week for offseason activities.
Why San Francisco? Evans had an easy response for 49ers linebacker Fred Warner on his Real Ones podcast.
“I’ve admired your game and a lot of your teammates’ games and y’all’s culture, and the stadium, and the way it feels to play there,” Evans said. “It just made sense for me to go out there and finish my career strong in San Francisco.”
Evans said he’s spent years studying the 49ers and feels he’s in the perfect spot to reach his goals that include the Hall of Fame.
“I’m trying to prove people wrong and prove myself right,” Evans said, noting his lifelong competitive fire. “So that’s what this is about. I’m just excited to come out to San Francisco and play for such a historic franchise. I mean, I’ve been looking at that franchise for a long time. And obviously it was going to be hard for me to leave Tampa, but I’m super-excited to come out there and this is what I feel like I needed at this point in my career.”
Evans talked about how he found a “second wind” to his career after breaking his collarbone against Detroit early last season. The time off re-ignited his hunger, Evans said, and the injury left him extremely fresh this offseason. So Evans said he is extraordinarily hungry for the 2026 season.
It’s tough for Joe to accept that Evans really didn’t want to be in Tampa any longer. Evans spoke on the podcast about how he is uneasy about long flights and had to pause when he saw how many long trips the 49ers have on their 2026 schedule. But Evans said he pushed past that and will be ready for the 49ers’ opening day in Australia.
Playing for the 49ers “just made the most sense, man,” Evans said, adding that another reason he signed with San Francisco “is to help me get where I want to go post-career.”
April 15th, 2026 at 6:23 pm
Post-career = higher national visibility in a bigger market on west coast. This makes more sense now.
April 15th, 2026 at 6:26 pm
Maybe. Have to think that ME looked at all the receiving talent on the Bucs and believed he wouldn’t be getting as many touches. Hard for him to see the ball going to the younger crowd. Won’t have that problem in SF.
April 15th, 2026 at 6:26 pm
Licht, Bowles and Baker ran off the best offensive player in team history and my 2nd favorite player. Unforgivable. Mike has a new number this season, 5. Hes using his HS number. He’s gonna have a great season.
April 15th, 2026 at 6:30 pm
It was a painful read, but Kenton got through it.
April 15th, 2026 at 6:32 pm
Mike worked his rear off to get back from his major injury, only to watch Baker singlehandedly lose 4-games in a row.
Mike was really clear in what he said, he wanted to go to a team that had a QB that could win a SB. Evans played with Brady, he knows what it takes to win, and he knows Baker is not a winner, and will always choke in the biggest situations – like he did in the playoffs with 2 mins left vs Detroit, and like he did in the playoffs vs the Redskins after the defense made a huge 4th quarter goal line stand, and last year when he just needed one win to make the playoffs, and instead couldn’t even complete a 4th and 4 pass to a wide open receiver with the game on the line.
I wish Mike nothing but the best – unless they play the Bucs, obviously – or the Bucs need the 49ers to lose for any reason.
April 15th, 2026 at 6:35 pm
Thanks Todd.
April 15th, 2026 at 6:43 pm
Mike Evans left for an undisclosed reason. Why? Because the reasons he’s given make no sense. He wanted to be a Buc for life, remember?
I harken back … when …
Five years ago, another receiver was pushed out of Cleveland.
“Odell Beckham’s father posted a video on social media highlighting all the times this season Mayfield didn’t throw Beckham’s way or missed him when he was open. Odell Beckham Sr. went on to trash Mayfield in the comments, as well.
Odell Beckham Jr. didn’t disavow his father’s comments publicly. And he didn’t call Mayfield privately.
How did a partnership that began with so much promise go so wrong — and end so badly?”
That was then, but one can’t help but feel that last sentence also applies to Mike Evans. What went wrong? Was it Baker, or did Mike wake up one morning with a senseless, 49er epiphany?
I’m just seeking a plausible explanation.
April 15th, 2026 at 6:46 pm
Warning….Evans overload in progress!
April 15th, 2026 at 6:48 pm
Bakefield is not the answer.
April 15th, 2026 at 6:48 pm
Wearing number 5 in S.F. I wish him all the best.
April 15th, 2026 at 6:50 pm
Munch, you are so full of sh!t! The 49rs are my home town team and I think I know more about them than you. The Bucs made me puke when they kept your lover, Bowles. I watch them more than the Bucs. Flat out, Baker is better than Purdy. However, the franchise and state are better than the Bucs and Florida (now). They are preparing for (gasp) climate change.
April 15th, 2026 at 6:51 pm
JA – Mike has never been a drama queen like OBJ demanding the ball.
No, Mike worked his tail off to get back from injury, comes back for the Atlanta game, should have been well over 200 yards and multiple TDs, was wide open every single time he was single covered, and Baker could barely get the ball in his zip code. Mike, when wide open, had to make some highlight catches just to catch the trash that Baker was throwing. Then he saw Baker throw the worst INT I’ve ever seen in the 4th quarter, then on the final drive, with a chance to put the game away with a 1st down, misses a throw that even I could make.
That’s not to mention in Carolina, game on the line, Bucs already in FG range, Baker starts to scramble, Mike cuts up field like he’s supposed to, and Baker throws to a different spot (video shows Baker had the ball in his hands after Mike had already turned and had a step and a half up the field). Worse than that throw, which was bang-bang to be sure, was the fact to Baker’s right, he had two wide open Bucs receivers for big gains.
Then Baker goes to Miami, season on the line, and plays probably his worst game as a Bucs considering the importance of the game and the lack of quality of the opponent.
And all of that isn’t to mention the Saints game, from before Mike was back, where Baker again choked, throws for 122 yards, has Otton wide open for a 1st down on the final drive, on 4th and 4, Baker isn’t under pressure, and Baker throws it at Otton’s feet, causing him to have to come back for the ball and is tackled short of the 1st down.
Baker choked BIGLY. Baker did. No one else. Mike saw that, he knows Baker is what he is, and Baker isn’t ever going to come through when it matters the most. Sure, a 4th quarter drive in week 3 vs the Jets is nice and all, but going to Miami, playing like that, I think that alone was when Mike knew he was leaving.
April 15th, 2026 at 6:54 pm
BucsfaninOregon Says:
April 15th, 2026 at 6:50 pm
Munch, you are so full of sh!t! The 49rs are my home town team and I think I know more about them than you.
——–
So another Baker Boi who isn’t actually a Bucs fan. Real shocker, never seen that before.
April 15th, 2026 at 7:03 pm
Dumbo Rod, a normal person can root for more than one team in the NFL. I lived in Dunedin for 25 years and caught whatever pain causing virus the Bucs infects people with then. You?
April 15th, 2026 at 7:04 pm
So he’s a life long 49er.
April 15th, 2026 at 7:05 pm
Munch—
Thanks for reading between my lines.
I lost a vocal cord or two on each of those plays, and it wasn’t while screaming with joy. No definitive proof, but I think Mike was fed up to the point where he couldn’t take another year of missed opportunities from an “injured” QB.
April 15th, 2026 at 7:08 pm
Evans will be the top wide receiver in San Fran. He would be one of the several top wide receivers in Tampa. He will probably see 20-30 more catches in SF.
He’s playing for his legacy. I doubt he thinks SF is much better than Tampa- after all, the Bucs just beat them pretty soundly last year without him.
April 15th, 2026 at 7:12 pm
I love Mike and wish him the best in life, but I will be rooting against the 49ers until he retires, like usual. Rooting against the 49ers, Cowboys and every other NFC South team when is important as rooting for the Bucs, but still a high priority. LOL
April 15th, 2026 at 7:18 pm
He’s chasing that Gold Jacket
That’s the only reason he’s in San Francisco
April 15th, 2026 at 7:22 pm
Baker cannot single handedly do anything on a football field. He isn’t even the first person to handle the ball. He was under so much pressure down the stretch it was a shocker when he wasn’t. There’s a bunch of reasons the offense sputtered to a halt down the stretch but both guards being out was easily top of the list.
April 15th, 2026 at 7:30 pm
“Reasons” provided don’t really make much sense or add up
And post-career is not just about “visibility” as much as it is about the HoF & gold jacket
April 15th, 2026 at 7:47 pm
Smack down to the status quo @ OBP
The shadow of Liam Coen is cast upon The RayJay and the Bucs Fandom
Mike Evans is sending some tough love to Tampa Town…
April 15th, 2026 at 7:52 pm
@rodmunchsk
“Mike worked his rear off to get back from his major injury, only to watch Baker singlehandedly lose 4-games in a row.”
well every one here knows you are the king of the dumb take Mr, The defense was okay.
So whats new?
Just don’t try and get back on the bus next season kid.
April 15th, 2026 at 7:55 pm
JA … ‘Mike Evans left for an undisclosed reason. Why? Because the reasons he’s given make no sense.’
Fans keep looking at his ‘reasons’ in isolation JA, but I think Mike left for a number of reasons, some of which probably only make sense to him. For instance, this is the first article that I’ve read in whichMike stated that ‘he’s spent years studying the 49ers and feels he’s in the perfect spot to reach his goals that include the Hall of Fame’.
Think about that; he spent YEARS studying the 49ers? Not weeks, not months, but YEARS. I’d venture to say that he was studying other teams too. Mike needs TARGETS to make 1000 yards per season (his career catch percentage is only 58.0%; it takes a lot of TARGETS to hit 1000 yards plus). He’s obviously convinced he can get targeted that much with the 49ers. In his first 11 years here in Tampa Bay he was targeted an average of 130 times per season. Even Chris Godwin, in his 9 years here, has only been targeted 96 times per season on average.
I’m wondering if all the bells started going off for Mike Evans when Licht drafted Egbuka. That was 1 more mouth to share the targets with; 1 more hungry mouth. Throw in the problems that he was surely seeing with Baker Mayfield getting him the ball deep, and I can see why ME13 chose the path he did.
April 15th, 2026 at 7:57 pm
Mike could not stand the stale building and coaching
Ronde Barber will be President of Football Operations in 2027
Might even be time to freshen up the uniforms
My gawd this has been as bad as any other malaise in Buccaneer history, enabled by the lack of strong and independent local sports media.
April 15th, 2026 at 7:58 pm
surprised he didnt tweak a hammy running to the podium for that comment
April 15th, 2026 at 8:06 pm
I am sure Mike is not telling the whole story about leaving. However, his actions clearly say, he had no faith in this Organization for the next 2 years. The defense is in a sad state and will take a few years at least. While not being a Bowles hater, Shanahan is a much better coach and a stable offensive play caller with a stable offense. Yes the 49 er’s are a better Organization. The fans are better because you won’t have a lot of the other team’s fans in the stadium. The Bucs are trying to be the successful Organization that the 49er’s are, but have a long way to go.
While I believe it was hard for him to leave the chance to finish out his career with the 49er’s offered so much more opportunity. If he did not believe all that he would not have left all that money on the table and a fan base that truly adored him.
I still have not gotten over him leaving, but I can’t blame him.
As Buc fans all we can do is hope he was wrong.
However, I think the Bucs have a few more 3-28 ahead of them as the defense needs so many players. The 49er’s have done a lot in the offseason and should easily makes a strong run. The Bucs did little in FA and are taking the slow road. The Bucs record,I can’t see more than 7 wins, a fired coach and an overall next year. I think Mike saw the same picture
April 15th, 2026 at 8:24 pm
Stpetematt Says:
April 15th, 2026 at 7:22 pm
Baker cannot single handedly do anything on a football field.
——–
But I was told he was ‘singlehandedly’ carrying the team when he was week 6 MVP.
I don’t get it.
April 15th, 2026 at 8:32 pm
Defense Rules Says:
Fans keep looking at his ‘reasons’ in isolation JA, but I think Mike left for a number of reasons, some of which probably only make sense to him.
————-
I think it’s pretty easy to figure out.
Talking about Brock… “He’s a true professional. Really, really underrated player. I feel like I could help him out a lot and get him where he wants to go… Super Bowl champion, potential MVP.”
Another quote from Mike… “I did my research on a lot of teams. I was looking at contenders, guys with good quarterbacks”
April 15th, 2026 at 8:34 pm
DR—
Now why would a guy spend “years” studying another team when he claimed the team he was on was a lifetime choice?
I think “years” was hyperbole, and a euphemism for months.
He’s not gonna badmouth anybody on the Bucs or within the organization. It’s not his style.
You chose to believe him. I think he was being polite.
My reference was “Buccaneer for life.” Your’s is yesterday’s news.
I’ll give you this: Neither of us knows for sure.
April 15th, 2026 at 8:40 pm
who is this guy and what is this article about…never heard of the guy
🙂
April 15th, 2026 at 8:41 pm
Mike would NEVER complain on the locker room or on the sideline about but getting the ball, he’d just go somewhere else
April 15th, 2026 at 8:41 pm
Wish him all the best.
April 15th, 2026 at 8:42 pm
Fans always want to blame management or the player, mike talked about the history and loyal fans! It must be disappointing playing in Tampa and having opposing teams have more fans than bucs fans!
April 15th, 2026 at 8:43 pm
pancake block- good one. lol. 😆. I won’t be surprised if it doesn’t end the way ME13 thinks it will. Just ask Brad Culpepper and Warrick Dunn. lol.
April 15th, 2026 at 8:45 pm
mike is wearing #5 in sf because he wants about 5k more yards to finish in 2nd place behind jerry rice for all time receiving yards…
it’s gonna be tough
April 15th, 2026 at 8:45 pm
Wish Mike the best.
April 15th, 2026 at 8:50 pm
Shanahan is the QB in SF. Best he can say about Brock is that he’s a professional lol whatever that means. Maybe he wears a suit and tie to team meetings. It’s an OC league and Mike knows it.
As for last year the films tells no lies. A team with no cohesion on offense skirted by on party tricks from Baker. When defenses adjusted, they didn’t have an answer because the team had no talent and even less coaching.
April 15th, 2026 at 8:52 pm
I’ll be honest. Evans really doesn’t mean what he used to, to me. He suspended his Org’s operations in Tampa and he has rolled up the carpet. I really don’t care if he retires as a Buc. He can be a 49er. I’m not at the good riddance stage. But if he didn’t want to be a Buc anymore, good for him. But he doesn’t get to claim the Bucs.
April 15th, 2026 at 9:24 pm
Two of the most notable accomplishments that Todd Bowles as head coach has accomplished:
1 – gave Tom Brady his only losing season.
2 – pissed off the best offensive player in franchise history so badly that he went from wanting to finish his career in Tampa to “get me out of here” in under a year.
Way to go, Todd. Hopefully this is your last year.
April 15th, 2026 at 9:35 pm
Mike’s dead to me
April 15th, 2026 at 9:36 pm
Never forgave him for taking a knee during the National Anthem. San Francisco is more tolerant of that than I am .
April 15th, 2026 at 9:44 pm
Right on, Stormy.
April 15th, 2026 at 9:49 pm
PS – Rod Munch is not wrong about Mayfield. Not as long as he plays for this Hedd Coich.
April 15th, 2026 at 9:50 pm
And more articles about Mike. Two a day wouldn’t be enough.
April 15th, 2026 at 9:57 pm
M1K3, wanted a better QB, Period! #6, is not worth 33mil that’s he’s getting now,let alone 50mil! That some of you think that he deserves….SMH
April 15th, 2026 at 10:01 pm
Typical case of what do you expect him to say? Of course he’s going to make up how S.F. has been a sparkle in his eye and how great a franchise they are – the same stuff you hear from the veterans the Bucs have recently signed.
That said, great job, Joe, of feeding the frenzied Hate Licht/Hate Bowles and more than anything, Hate Bucs mob that camps out here.
April 15th, 2026 at 10:05 pm
Oops, what’s wrong with me. I totally forgot the massive “Hate Baker” crowd here (although not a single one have offered an actual alternative after more than a half dozen challenges for them to do so).
Good job feeding the Hate Baker mob, too, Joe.
April 15th, 2026 at 10:09 pm
People who criticize the Bucs do so because they love the team, see it is spiraling into a singularity from which not even Licht can escape, and are demanding change, calling out the obvious flaws.
The Pom Pom girls don’t have enough insight to recognize it, preferring blind faith and hope.
Time for another drink.
🥃
April 15th, 2026 at 10:17 pm
They are a historic franchise. He will get more attention being there. However he is not winning no Super Bowl with Brock Purdy. Baker is a better QB but KS is a better coach / offensive coordinator than what the Bucs have. Kinda ironic he broke Jerry Rice record then ends up playing for the same team a Jerry Rice.
April 15th, 2026 at 10:25 pm
Don’t care. He would be saying the same thing no matter where he went. Most of the so called experts here had him going to the Texans. His true colors came out about being a Buccaneer for life. Maybe he can be a 49er for the rest. I don’t expect them to keep him for the rest of his career.
April 15th, 2026 at 10:57 pm
The Bucs will miss Mike Evans. I will miss Mike Evans, but the receiver room is the deepest room on the Bucs. The money the Bucs would have had to spend to keep Mike is better spent on other positions. The 49ers get a lot of national press and this is a good time for Mike to make his case to get in the Hall sooner rather than later.
Would Mike have stayed had the Bucs made the playoffs and won a playoff game? Maybe, yes. But the Bucs proved they need more help at other positions (and better coaching). Two things can be true at once: 1) We all wish Mike was still here 2) The Bucs will probably be better spending that money elsewhere.
April 15th, 2026 at 11:03 pm
Probably his last stop with significant PT in his career. Hopefully, it’ll be a storybook ending for him and the 49ers. If he were inducted into Canton however, he’d go in as a Buc.
April 15th, 2026 at 11:05 pm
2024 qbr. Baker 106
Purdy. 96
Year end ranking . Baker 4th
Purdy. 13th
Massive extension incoming. Let the tears flow😂
April 15th, 2026 at 11:13 pm
Mike mattered in ONE game out of 17 last season. That doesna warrant $22 million per year
April 15th, 2026 at 11:35 pm
okayyyyy mike we get it. you wanted out… 3rd and 28 blah blah… let it go. focus on your season prep. see you in the playoffs.
April 15th, 2026 at 11:44 pm
Let ‘em bake Says:
April 15th, 2026 at 11:05 pm
2024 qbr. Baker 106
Purdy. 96
Year end ranking . Baker 4th
Purdy. 13th
————–
Shocker, a Baker Boi who has no idea what they’re talking about…
QBR 2022 / 2023 / 2024 / 2025
Baker 26.3 / 55.1 / 58.4 / 61.3
Brock 67.5 / 73.4 / 64.8 / 72.8
Brock’s worst year is much better than Baker’s best year in the last 4 years.
April 15th, 2026 at 11:55 pm
Love Mike….fitting that he finish his career out how he likes.
That said, he’ll blow out his hammy in week 4 like every year and miss 4 games.
It’s ok. We’ll get by…..to an 8-9 record. It’s Bowles after all.
April 16th, 2026 at 12:29 am
Great,another Evans article. Are we going to get highlights every time he touches the ball too? He is not a Buc for life anymore. He not the man we thought he was. Let’s please move on. It’s a Bucs life.