Mike Evans’ Agents Hints Tampa Weather May Chase Him Away From Bucs
February 25th, 2026
Is this man helping run Mike Evans out of town?
One Joe likes to use the word “silly” when he hears nonsense. “This Joe” guesses that word is a little more palatable than “horsesh!t.”
Yesterday, heard exclusively on WDAE 95.7 FM/AM 620 (the station’s new FM signal can be heard up in Ocala) Tom Krasniqi interviewed Mike Evans’ agent Deryk Gilmore. Evans, of course, is a pending free agent. Gilmore announced recently his client plans to test the free agent waters in March.
Gilmore has played people before in past contract negotiations. And let’s be real: Agents are nothing more than paid representatives of their clients. There’s no reasonable expectation for them to be honest and objective and forthright. They do very much have a financial incentive in being subjective on behalf of their client.
So Gilmore discussed with Krasniqi some subjects that may chase Evans out of Tampa. One, Gilmore said emphatically, was the Tampa weather, in particular training camp weather. Gilmore implied the Tampa weather is why Evans has recurring hamstring issues.
Joe found this to be high-grade baloney.
Evans has always had hamstring issues, ever since his rookie season. In fact, the running joke of the Tampa Bay pen and mic club is that a Bucs training camp is not complete without Evans tweaking a hamstring.
So we are really to believe Evans’ hamstring issues will magically vanish if he played in, say, Buffalo?
Until last season, the Bucs were able to keep injuries to a low level. This has gone on for years. Joe is pretty confident that even the most devout climate change alarmist would admit the Florida weather hasn’t changed that much since Evans was drafted in 2013.
And besides, we’re talking about a player who has decided to have a home in Tampa and a home in suburban Houston. The same guy who grew up in Galveston, which has a very similar climate as Tampa.
In the summer, Evans voluntarily chooses to work in the outdoors with his trainer in Texas. Not sure if any of Joe’s readers travel much to South Texas, but go ahead in May and June and see how long an ice cream cone lasts outdoors there.
So this is a long-winded way of Joe cautioning fans that not everything coming out of an agent’s mouth is heartfelt sincerity.
(Hey, Denis Phillips — who is a regular in Joe’s fantasy football league — Joe is just having some fun. But your weather forecasts may be too accurate for Deryk Gilmore.)
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February 25th, 2026 at 10:32 am
Not to mention that science says soft tissue holds up far better in the heat vs. cold weather.
February 25th, 2026 at 10:38 am
As an athlete, this is kinda funny – this agent is obviously grasping at straws. Cold weather hampers muscles and tendons way more than warm weather. Warm weather actually allows your physiology to become more limber, increase blood flow (aids in healing and flexibility).
If Mike is pulling hamstrings in Tampa, he going to be ripping them in colder weather
February 25th, 2026 at 10:40 am
I’ve always said training in dangerous heat conditions contribute to all the Bucs players injury issues. They should use the Glazer shed more in the summer months. Training in the heat does not give us an advantage, if anything it makes us worse. Look at our home record. Last September we split our two hottest games barely beating the Jets in one where they looked like the fresher team at the end. I’ve worked in the Florida heat my whole adult life, and still do part time at a golf course. Loving it now, but dreading those summer days. I don’t think it’s BS, I believe Mike has had it looking at the AC indoor shed while Bowles makes them toil in the Florida heat. Can’t blame him for not wanting to go through another summer here.
February 25th, 2026 at 10:42 am
I would think a bigger issue keeping him in Tampa would be “No state Taxes”. You can train for injuries if you still have all your money. LOL
February 25th, 2026 at 10:56 am
100% spot on , Joes.
The word “malarky” is another family friendly descriptor of what the agent is shoveling.
February 25th, 2026 at 10:59 am
I think Mike is out of here.
February 25th, 2026 at 11:12 am
What does Mike’s wife say? Wasn’t she the one who convinced him to stay 2 years ago and finish his career here?
If the Bucs are able to keep him, they should be drafting his replacement in the 1st round of the 2027 draft.
February 25th, 2026 at 11:13 am
These agents get a cut and it’s their job to maximize competition for their player, and therefore, the players’ income. His past statements like this are well known and knowlegable people like Joe understand this.
I think it’s likely that Mike comes back. Mike and Ashli have a great charity in Tampa and have roots here. I’m sure Mike and Bake are excited about Zach coming in as OC and Mike getting back to his 1k season.
February 25th, 2026 at 11:14 am
The Bucs have a number their willing to go to it seems. Seems similar to the Godwin situation. How much more money is another team going to have to pay to get M1k3 to go?
February 25th, 2026 at 11:17 am
Dehydration makes one more vulnerable to soft tissue injuries. It is a proven fact. See no room for debate here. They should make more use of the shack.
February 25th, 2026 at 11:23 am
So funny Joe, in fact Tampa weather is a plus for hamstrings and muscles in general. The heat keeps the muscles warm and loose. Cold weather has the exact opposite effect. Cold weather tends to tighten muscles not loosen them.
Joe there is a reason they call pregame warmups, warmups!!You move the muscles to warm them up and make them pliable. Yes the agent is doing nothing more than making himself look silly. What would actually will chase ME out of town is the belief Tampa can’t win in the next 2 years. However, the agent is not going to say that either. However surely he could have found something better than the weather is causing ME’s hamstring issues. How about he doesn’t like sweating all that much.
February 25th, 2026 at 11:31 am
Gilmore is doing his job, just like Licht is. It’s gamesmanship and that’s all. TB wants Evans and Evans wants TB. Now it’s about dollars. You know Godwin is in Mike’s ear about staying.
February 25th, 2026 at 11:40 am
Yeah & Texas is much different from Florida Mike? It’s just as warm & similar. Unless Texas doesn’t experience warm weather anymore either.
February 25th, 2026 at 12:10 pm
Na na na na.
Na na na na.
Hey hey hey.
GOODBYE!!!!
Please go to another franchise and get paid as much as you can big guy.
We will always have love for here in the most beautiful place to play football on planet Earth…
It’s sad to admit – ME13 is not worth $20-$25M anymore.
February 25th, 2026 at 12:26 pm
Didn’t Mike’s hammy go kaput last year in Pittsburgh?! lol
February 25th, 2026 at 12:54 pm
SF/Santa Clara has the best weather in the nation. I know, I grew up there. Watch out for the 49rs.
February 25th, 2026 at 1:03 pm
Cold weather is a lot worse for muscles. If Evans went to Buffalo, he’d pull a hammy in warmups.
February 25th, 2026 at 1:09 pm
“I’m going to move somewhere cold to avoid pulled muscles,” said no one ever.
February 25th, 2026 at 1:14 pm
This is what good agents do. Snooker the 1 Buc suckers.
February 25th, 2026 at 1:35 pm
He couldn’t come out and say that Evans doesn’t want to play for Todd Bowles anymore. We’re all sick of the Bowles clown show, except for the Glazers I guess.
February 25th, 2026 at 1:38 pm
Tampa, Chargers , 49ers , Jags
February 25th, 2026 at 1:55 pm
Hope Licht doesn’t get into a bidding war. Biggest needs are on defense and the Bucs better spend the cash to get it done. Having ME13 is great but he can’t go a whole season anymore. He is on the downside of his career.
February 25th, 2026 at 1:56 pm
6’5 230lb elite athlete at 33 years old. I think the same issues would happen anywhere. Father Time.
Why not just say “my client will do his due diligence on all prospective teams he’s interested in?”
But like others have mentioned he’s trying to drum up the storyline.
February 25th, 2026 at 2:06 pm
they use to practice more back in the day in the heat and there were less injuries with less rules on everything
February 25th, 2026 at 2:31 pm
🤔