The Mike Evans Hamstring Tradition
August 21st, 2025
Happy 32nd birthday!
Joe cannot predict something weird happening, like a dead battery, a truck issue, a wreck, getting arrested or the chance Joe doesn’t even wake up Thursday morning.
Short of those things happening, Joe will be at the last fully open Bucs practice of 2025 this morning at One Buc Palace.
Joe hasn’t missed a practicd this summer, even the two in Pittsburgh. Whenever Mike Evans has been on the field, he has dominated.
It hasn’t mattered who Evans has gone up against; he is making play after play. In Pittsburgh, Evans may have had his greatest practice. He was damn near unstoppable against what is thought to be a strong Pittsburgh defense.
Evans continued his dominant ways yesterday when he made a truly sick one-handed catch, skying straight up to snag a Baker Mayfield pass.
It reminded Joe of a Jamal Mashburn baseline one-handed slam against Michigan in the 1993 Final Four. It’s mindboggling that Evans is having his best training camp, Joe believes, at 32 years old — he turned 32 today!
Now here comes the scary part: It isn’t summer until Evans has a hamstring issue. It’s a rite of passage, it seems, like the NFL season cannot start until Evans is dealing with a hamstring pull.
With the sudden news of Jalen McMillan’s being out at least a month of the regular season with a severely strained neck in Pittsburgh thanks to a Steelers camp meat corner, the Bucs are that annual Evans’ summer hamstring injury away from having a rookie as their No. 1 receiver for multiple games.
Chris Godwin, coming back from two ankle surgeries, has yet to practice and there’s no word that he’s been running. .
Joe has to believe Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht will be scouring available receivers in the next nine days with Cutdown Day coming a week from Saturday.
Joe has received a bunch of Twitters asking about Amari Cooper, who may not have anything left in the tank. Most guys unemployed in August don’t. Cooper did play for Buffalo last year. His numbers were paltry but his catch percentage was his best since he played for Dallas in 2021.
Cooper probably wouldn’t pass Sterling Shepard on the Bucs’ depth chart, but at least he’d be decent veteran depth.
August 21st, 2025 at 7:19 am
McMillan is out til Halloween, do I understand that correctly?
Nobody knows for certain, but yeah, expect him out that long.–Joe
August 21st, 2025 at 7:27 am
McMillan will be out 4games at a minimum, after that, we don’t know yet.
August 21st, 2025 at 7:34 am
Baker is better with this group of reserve WR’s than he’d be with any castoff retread currently on the couch. He’s not the same QB as the one who walked in the door in 2023 – he’s better. He’s come to a point where he elevates the talent in the people around him, and I fully expect him to make the current WR room look better than anything the Bucs find elsewhere.
August 21st, 2025 at 7:47 am
“He’s come to a point where he elevates the talent in the people around him”
LOL
August 21st, 2025 at 7:54 am
I thought IR was 8 games and the PUP was 4?
August 21st, 2025 at 7:56 am
Only receivers I could see us kicking the tires on would be any with a connection to Baker assuming he blesses it. But Amari Cooper probably wouldn’t be a bad pick up, if he can be had for cheap. Honestly, I think we are fine, and most guys won’t want to take a spot especially if they will get the can half way through the season.
August 21st, 2025 at 7:56 am
Put Mike on floppy hat patrol.
August 21st, 2025 at 7:59 am
Stpete
Injured reserve has a range, the minimum is 4 games and I think the max is 10 if the team the player is on has a postseason berth.
August 21st, 2025 at 8:01 am
Joe, glad you woke up this morning but I’d rather you have a dead battery or even a tranny malfunction than Mike pulling a hamstring. Heck, even you being arrested would be ok. Just no wrecks and keep on getting up every morning and we’ll be good to go.
August 21st, 2025 at 8:05 am
Joe, maybe if you say it enough times it’ll come true. Fingers crossed?
August 21st, 2025 at 8:24 am
Man, why would anyone put this out in the universe ?
August 21st, 2025 at 8:26 am
Still pizzed about Jmac. Some real info on Godwin would be nice. It’s getting frustrating.
August 21st, 2025 at 8:29 am
Yeah it would.
August 21st, 2025 at 8:37 am
I keep asking about Amari. Jason please sign him. Not an every down WR, but he could help tremendously in critical situations.
August 21st, 2025 at 8:40 am
Godwin has to be out for the season, why else would the Bucs be so secretive ?
JMac, who knows? Maybe in Nov. or Dec. ?
At any rate we won’t know until it happens.
August 21st, 2025 at 8:41 am
Injuries are ubiquitous in the NFL. We all know that.
And they are far from being confined to the Bucs.
So let’s shift the focus to our Week 1 opponent—Atlanta.
A short look at their injury list informs us they are far from being a team with unemployed doctors:
Storm Norton (Tackle): Norton recently underwent ankle surgery and is expected to miss 6-8 weeks, making him unlikely to play in Week 1.
Troy Andersen (Linebacker): He’s on the Physically Unable to Perform list while recovering from a knee injury and is not expected back until around Week 4.
Questionable status
Kaleb McGary (Tackle): The starting right tackle was carted off the field during a recent practice with a leg injury and is awaiting MRI results, making his status for Week 1 unclear.
Darnell Mooney (Wide Receiver): Mooney is dealing with a shoulder injury and his availability for the season opener is uncertain.
Jalon Walker (Linebacker): The first-round pick has been limited by a groin injury throughout training camp, and while he’s expected to play a role in Week 1, the extent of his participation is still being determined.
Clark Phillips III (Cornerback): Phillips is recovering from a rib injury and his status for Week 1 is questionable.
Carlos Washington Jr. (Running Back): He’s listed as questionable for Week 1 due to a hamstring injury.
Kyle Pitts (Tight End): He’s dealing with a foot injury, and his status is questionable for Week 1.
Bralen Trice (Linebacker): Trice is recovering from a knee (ACL) injury and his availability for the Buccaneers game on September 7th is uncertain.
August 21st, 2025 at 8:45 am
Gotta establish the run early and often….
GO BUCS!!!!
August 21st, 2025 at 8:52 am
These injuries are decimating this team
And it’s not just Wirfs, Winfield, McMillan, Godwin
There’s more injured players of concern
Christian Izien
David Walker
JJ Roberts
Anthony Walker Jr
Benjamin Morrison
They are going to keep coming
We will see a lot more after the Real season starts
This is not good
August 21st, 2025 at 8:56 am
Just read that Amari Cooper signed with the Vikings.
August 21st, 2025 at 9:00 am
I still don’t know why the Bucs weren’t interested in Evan Ingram that solves two problems
August 21st, 2025 at 9:10 am
Christian Izien
David Walker
JJ Roberts
Anthony Walker Jr
Benjamin Morrison
Damn @Lakeland, these guys are our “potentially” future. Either this team needs to practice indoors way more or look at the training staff. Everybody gets hammy at some point. Damn it Jim. I still say 12-5
August 21st, 2025 at 9:37 am
Man, Mike needs to shave that knappy ball sac on his forehead and join the Beautiful Bald Man’s Club.
August 21st, 2025 at 10:19 am
Love Mike’s one-handed catches. Awesome and Happy Birthday to Mike. 32 years young. It is really sounding like it’s going to be his best year yet. Can’t wait for the regular games. It’s okay if he is on the sidelines this weekend. Keep Mike healthy.
August 21st, 2025 at 10:20 am
@Henry Says EXACTLY Hahahaha……….
August 21st, 2025 at 10:20 am
1 M13E
2 Emeka
Shep
Tez
Palmer
Ryan
We will be fine to start the year!!
August 21st, 2025 at 11:11 am
Injuries happen because players are not in Football Shape. Training camp needs to step so our players are ready to play.
August 21st, 2025 at 12:06 pm
Tyler Boyd would be worth looking at. He’s got good hands and runs clean routes. Wouldn’t break the bank
August 21st, 2025 at 1:14 pm
Joe, you keep bringing this up.
Are you trying to jinx us?
🙂