Mike Evans Talks Personal Rejuvenation, 1,000-Yard Season Disappointment
June 4th, 2026
Mike Evans was talking yesterday.
Joe was paying attention to the greatest wide receiver in Buccaneers history.
It was Evans’ first in-person news conference with San Francisco media. His welcome-to-the-other-Bay-area session was brief and on Zoom.
A local scribe asked Evans about losing his 11-year streak of 1,000-yard seasons last season.
“Oh, it was super disappointing. I’m extremely competitive and for me to not break that record, I thought I was going to be able to break it easy — how hungry I was going into that season,” Evans said.
“You know, in life, some things, it’s not going to go your way. But I look at that injury as a blessing in disguise, because I’m feeling really fresh, feeling rejuvenated. I’m in a new spot, new change like I felt I needed. And I’m looking forward to get back [on that streak].”
Joe cringed seeing the smiles on Evans’ face. He also talked about loving the weather for spring practices at his new football home (mid-70s yesterday) and how much he was drawn to playing with 49ers QB Brock Purdy.
June 4th, 2026 at 2:41 pm
Good for him. Have fun against the Seahawks and Rams.
June 4th, 2026 at 2:42 pm
Glad he’s happy but he’s on another team now so I really don’t care how the rest of his career goes. I’m sure I’m in the minority on that but that’s cool. All good.
June 4th, 2026 at 2:43 pm
Eff Mike Evans
June 4th, 2026 at 2:44 pm
Let’s focus on the Bucs Joe. Evans Hamstring will be cooked by week 3 anyways.
June 4th, 2026 at 2:51 pm
Take care of those hammys Mike, and don’t let the droughts, wildfires, mudslides,
and occasional earthquakes disrupt your focus. I get you not being so sure about Baker because after his spectacular 2-7 finish down the stretch last year, I don’t trust him either, but Brock Purdy????…..come on now….
Hey, enjoy that flight to Australia too! Safe travels!
June 4th, 2026 at 2:55 pm
Mike said some other stuff too:
“Love Brock,” Evans said. “He’s a big reason why I came here. … Throws a really great ball. I’m getting the timing down with him now. Super smart. He’s about his business, too. Comes to work every single day.
“He’s a quiet guy, but me and him talk about not just football, but life, and really cool guy. I look forward to having a great connection with him this year.”
June 4th, 2026 at 3:01 pm
Have to on the field and available to play to break records.
June 4th, 2026 at 3:10 pm
Love Mike for what he did for us, but he’s the enemy now and don’t care how he does.
You’re either with us or against us ! Go Bucs
June 4th, 2026 at 3:11 pm
Ok Joe we are all disappointed with ME leaving. I think he liked Baker plenty and other Bucs too. However I think he became frustrated with the Organization not doing enough. Let’s face it the 49niners doing a lot more to win. The Bucs are going piece meal and I don’t think they plan to win this year. I mean that is what their actions show. This was about Mike wanting to win now. With that said of course he wants to bond with his new qb.
The weather in the Bay area is much nicer than here no doubt. I don’t think Baker was part of it. I think 3 -28 did
June 4th, 2026 at 3:18 pm
Joe we are all super disappointed that ME left. I don’t think he was unhappy with Baker. I think after 3-28 he lost faith in the HC ,GM and owners. I don’t think he thought they wanted to win because that is what their actions demonstrated. I mean face facts who wants to win more now, who has the better Organization top down? Yes the Niners. Yes the weather this time of year in the Bay Area is much nicer. Yes of course he wants to bond with his new qb. Joe point the finger at the right people as to ME leaving!!!
I mean who was not disappointed in last year!!!
June 4th, 2026 at 3:19 pm
happy for mike!!!
see you in the playoffs
GO BUCS!!!
June 4th, 2026 at 3:21 pm
Just don’t make it about 1 thing please people.
There are many factors why Mike left and I doubt 1 of them alone was a good enough reason to leave.
Soft D, soft coach, Baker not targeting him enough and/or sucking, crowded WR room, 5th OC in 5 years, 100 degree practices, just wanting a change of scenery.
Add all that up, time for a change.
June 4th, 2026 at 3:25 pm
I personally hope the 49ers win the West (although the Rams look like a potential juggernaut), and unless they face the Bucs, win the whole thing to get Mike another ring.
I hope for a full 17 game season where Mike puts up 1300 and 13 and is named an All-Pro.
I want lasting respect on Mikes name, he will enter the Hall as a Buc and we should all celebrate his greatness when that happens.
June 4th, 2026 at 3:25 pm
Pain
June 4th, 2026 at 3:26 pm
Evans was…..was…..was a great Buc. He will speak & others , if asked , will speak about him.
Let’s move on…..Evans is gone….old news…
Let’s focus on Buc players.
June 4th, 2026 at 3:27 pm
This dude
June 4th, 2026 at 3:34 pm
I’d be happy to if I’d escaped the vortex known as the 3rd and 28 defensive scheme.
He has a vastly better HC, GM, QB, and a real DC.
Anyone that takes a pay cut and a tax hike to leave the worst division in football to likely the best division is saying something.
He wanted out in the worst way. The HC\DC and the QB in Tampa were the reasons.
June 4th, 2026 at 3:34 pm
Well, I’m not going to hate on Mike.
He had SOLID REASONS for leaving. Most are putting up a front and in SERIOUS DENIAL about the “Real Reason” he left. I realize that some feel legitimately betrayed. But his decision WASN’T ABOUT “YOU” PERSONALLY. It was about “HIS” broken heart.
I hope you’re all smart enough to understand that.
I want you ALL to think about this. The man NEVER wanted to be Anywhere Else BUT IN Tampa Bay. That’s what you really Need to start with and Understand.
Mike Evans… Was Betrayed! HIS Heart Was Broken by THE people he trusted in this organization!
Mike Evans would NOT have left for a small reason, AND YOU KNOW IT!.. UNLESS HE WAS BETRAYED! UNLESS HIS HEART WAS BROKEN! He was NEVER EVER SELFISH! EVER! The REALITY IS THAT HE FOR BETTER THAN A DECADE… SUPPORTED THE TEAM MORE THAN ANYBODY EVER! AND… THE FANS!
HE LOVED “HIS” BUCCANEERS! With ALL his heart. What do you people (who HAVE BEEN FANS FOR MORE THAN A COUPLE OF YEARS) think would have happened if MIKE Didn’t SINGLE HANDEDLY GIVE OVER HIS PAY CHECKS YEAR AFTER YEAR?
He did it In order to do a little something called “COMPETE”!! You Really SHOULDN’T FORGET that word… “COMPETE”
In ALL of your guts,…(at least the fans that have been here longer than a couple of years and KNOW his heart) , YOU KNOW WHY HE LEFT!
But I’ve GOT TO SAY Joe’s…… Why the continual stories about Mike? WHY DON’T YOU GUYS JUST SAY WHAT YOU KNOW? YOU GUYS KNOW WHAT HAPPENED! Why are you guys asking us to guess? Why not give us “BETTER HINTS”?
And “IF” you don’t KNOW…………. you MUST BE kidding and it’s getting to be in the realm of poor taste..
June 4th, 2026 at 3:37 pm
Why is Mike Evans (former buc) keep being brought up on here. A lot of fans are done with him and moved on like he has done to us. Apparently, the Joes don’t wanna let it go. Very sad.
June 4th, 2026 at 3:38 pm
And fans like you probably just put him over the top.
Get a life
June 4th, 2026 at 3:40 pm
Thanks, Todd.
Minimum 10 wins and playoffs or he needs to go. No excuses.
June 4th, 2026 at 3:41 pm
Agree with Football 1 and Saskbucs – I don’t think he had issues with Baker, I think it was about the organization’s lack of immediacy, passive Bowles and 3rd & 28.
He will probably play another 2 – 4 years, and he wants another ring in that time. So he wants an org that is going all in right now. I like a lot of things about Licht, but he’s far too content to take his time and build a team that is just good enough, versus being aggressive and going all in (outside of the Brady years).
June 4th, 2026 at 3:42 pm
Evans better have his hammies lose for those plane trips. The 49ers will travel an NFL record 38,105 miles. Including trips to Australia and Mexico City.
Good luck Chuck
June 4th, 2026 at 3:50 pm
Saskbucs
Exactly.
June 4th, 2026 at 3:53 pm
He left because there’s way too much competition for targets here. All of our main wide receivers are fully capable of carrying a team. See Egbuka in the first half of last year for a prime example. I expect at or near 1000 yard seasons from all of Egbuka, Godwin and McMillan. Even Hurst should contribute quite a bit. And Tez.
June 4th, 2026 at 3:56 pm
Also, the defense should be much improved this year barring major injuries. I think the Bucs do better than San Fran, honestly.
June 4th, 2026 at 3:56 pm
The dreaded turf toe. I’m pretty sure Brock sat sidelined with that booger the better part of last season. And as bad as Purdy was in that 41-6 loss to the Seahawks in the playoffs, he and Mike may both have something to prove this year. If they both stay healthy, Mike will get his 1,000. Seems to be his major concern, anyway.
June 4th, 2026 at 3:57 pm
Love Mike and wish him the best. He actually had the nads to do something about Bowles. HE LEFT to get away from the loser!
June 4th, 2026 at 3:59 pm
Joe is. Evans is a Bucs franchise icon.
If you think Joe is going to forget Evans just because he left the Bucs, and the cloud of why he left hovers over One Buc Palace, then you don’t know Joe.
But, Joe is confident you can find websites that go into great detail about the traits of a piece of camp meat who will be driving for FedEx in two months at several lesser sites.
June 4th, 2026 at 4:40 pm
Having replaced Evans with a 21 year old, Ted Hurst, the Bucs should feel rejuvenated too. Instead of 33 year old brittle hammys, we have 21 year old hammys who run a 4.42. He probably won’t tap out to the sideline after every catch either. Won’t need vet days off. Yeah rejuvenated, I feel it to Mike now that your gone.
June 4th, 2026 at 4:44 pm
Evans could have had a 1000 yards alone in that Falcons game if Baker was even remotely accurate. He was wide open every single time he was one and one, and Baker would miss him – to the point he even stopped trying to throw it more than 5 yards down the field – and even then Baker would still miss the throws, like the Bucs last drive on offense when he missed a wide open WR for a 1st down that would have ended the game.