No “Woulda-Coulda-Shoulda” On Mike Evans
April 1st, 2026
Raise The Flags documentary star and Bucs co-owner Joel Glazer.
San Francisco 49ers receiver Mike Evans is a guy the Bucs wanted and somewhat expected to be on their 2026 roster.
In Phoenix on Monday, Joe talked to Buccaneers co-owner Joel Glazer about the big fish that got away.
Yeah, Team Glazer already issued a short statement on Evans moving on a few weeks ago but there were questions needed for clarification.
JoeBucsFan.com: Mike Evans, you wanted him [with the Bucs] this year. Everyone has been open about that. And you didn’t get what you wanted. What’s your message to fans on that situation?
Buccaneers co-owner Joel Glazer: I would say we were fortunate to have Mike in our organization; not many organzations and franchises get the pleasure of watching a Hall of Fame player for that long on one team. But at the end of the day, you know, each player gets to make their own choice, and that’s for him and his family. And for Mike, he felt this was what was right for him and we wish him nothing but the best. He’s a great Buccaneer. He will always be a great Buccaneer. We’re obviously sorry to see him go but respect what was best for him.
JoeBucsFan.com: Are there any regrets that maybe instead of a two-year deal his last contract should have been three [years]? Or you could have franchised him or figured it out? It’s a big deal. He’s a franchise legend.
Joel Glazer: No. You can’t look back and woulda-coulda-shoulda — this and that. And the end of the day after [12] years, and everything Mike’s done for us, ultimately you want Mike to do what’s best for him because he gave us his all for all these years. And he’s not the first great player to leave a franchise and move on to another franchise. He won’t be the last. That’s the National Football League. He’s entitled to have a new experience in his life. People do it in all walks of life, and for him and his family, we wish him nothing but the best.
Joe wishes Evans the best, too. But what does “the best” mean?
Evans won a Super Bowl and already is a Hall of Fame player with a few iconic stats to his name, so Joe sees no reason to play Evans cheerleader after he sprinted away from Tampa Bay like a dude running out of Publix with unpaid crab legs.
Stay healthy, Mike, and have fun if/when the 49ers revert back to the six-win team they were with a healthy Brock Purdy in 2024.
April 1st, 2026 at 12:45 pm
This article, particularly the last 2 paragraphs written by Joe gets an A+++++.
Well done Joe’s! I am with you guys here!
April 1st, 2026 at 12:56 pm
Yeah Mike….. SF ain’t gonna hold up all year with that electricityfield, and are the 3rd best in the Division, they Ain’t winning the Bowl Bro.
April 1st, 2026 at 12:58 pm
It’s like that girl you date in high school, go to prom, lose that * card to, close with her family, go to church with…..then decide to go separate ways in college. You know you’ll see her again and will always care for her, but won’t be the exact same.
April 1st, 2026 at 12:58 pm
“You can’t look back and woulda-coulda-shoulda — this and that.”
Yes, you can. The way you respond to your greatest mistakes is how you grow and get better. Kind of hard to do that without first looking back. Just don’t get paralyzed doing it. Anyway, love the quotes from some notoriously quiet owners. But a lot of rehearsed corporate jibber jabber going on.
April 1st, 2026 at 1:43 pm
I got roasted by a 49er fan who kept his receipt after I laughed about them being ranked ahead of the Bucs last offseason.
The only chance the Bucs have of outperforming the 49ers is taking advantage of a much weaker division.
49ers were more injured than us and won 11 games!
April 1st, 2026 at 1:49 pm
BIG F’n mirror Joel !
Take a hard and long look!
You would have gotten better advice from the posting logs at JBF than you got from JL and you family pow wows!
You are running a Schiit Show!
Last life boat was Liam Coen !
April 1st, 2026 at 1:52 pm
Never complain. Never explain. Wish ME well. Sadiq would look good as a Buc.
April 1st, 2026 at 2:05 pm
Happy for ME13. We all know why he left. Can you blame him?
April 1st, 2026 at 2:06 pm
Addicted to Evans. Evans Derangement Syndrome.
April 1st, 2026 at 2:09 pm
May Mike Evans’ ham string seat him next to Tom Brady by mid-season.
April 1st, 2026 at 2:16 pm
Interesting if the weather in northern California will impact Mike Evans differently than Florida.
April 1st, 2026 at 2:19 pm
The question is, ‘what other NFL teams have followed the Glazer HC/DC example?
April 1st, 2026 at 2:19 pm
I don’t wish him ill.
I think he made a reckless, stupid, shortsighted, uninformed decision.
SF will not win a SB. Not anytime soon. He will pay higher taxes. He will find the crime and attitudes out there very foreign to a guy from Texas and Florida. The fans will quickly turn on him if he had nagging injuries. His game does not match well with Purdy, who was the last pick for a reason.
Evans had a chance to be with one team. That should be a badge of honor. He blew it.
But then did the Owners give him a choice? They kept Bowles.
April 1st, 2026 at 2:23 pm
Evans left because he knows what we all know and are willing to admit
Bowles is Trash
Evans showed that walking off the field 3/28
Evans took LESS MONEY tells everything
April 1st, 2026 at 2:35 pm
Yea I’d think not..because we already heard the shoulda coulda woulda on AB on “Raise the Flags” and it was given a pass cause it’s him..Mike Evans is a polar opposite scenario smh
April 1st, 2026 at 2:36 pm
Loften !
Excellent point and I have thought about this too.
All he has ever known is Tampa and Houston heat index!
It will be a wonderful change for his body and mind.
He may live the rest of his life in California!
April 1st, 2026 at 2:50 pm
There’s 260 pounds of turd in the head coach’s office and no one cleaned it up. It’s just lurking in there, stinking.
Mike did the sensible thing. Get away from the stink. Go Mike. I’ll be cheering for you
April 1st, 2026 at 2:53 pm
BROCK>baker
wish you well MIKE!!!!!
at least you know despite “injuries” you’re on a team that doesnt make excuses and can still win 10+ regular season games and win a playoff game!!!
GO BUCS!!!!!
April 1st, 2026 at 2:54 pm
Love watching Mike Evans play football, I hope he balls out. I hope the Bucs win the superbowl, but have zero problems with watching Evans. Dude deserves all the respect by his name. If Licht really wanted, he would’ve franchise tagged him, but he didn’t. All good, he’s saving it for a third time for Godwin. 😂
April 1st, 2026 at 3:11 pm
Evans said he left for family reasons. Unless you have grounds to call him a liar, maybe show him the respect of assuming he’s telling the truth?
April 1st, 2026 at 3:18 pm
Correction: Jason Licht said Evans left for family reasons.
April 1st, 2026 at 3:19 pm
So to your original question…..YES, Jason Licht is a straight up liar.
April 1st, 2026 at 3:26 pm
he became brittle
April 1st, 2026 at 3:29 pm
49ers were more injured and won more games! That is true but they had better depth, far better depth, because we have been trying to retire a 75 million dead cap, so most of our second and third string players have come from grocery stores
April 1st, 2026 at 3:49 pm
When ME said the infamous words, “Its 3rd and 28” we knew it was over for him and staying was not an option. If he moved for family reasons, its becaue his family did not want to see him frustrated anymore.
April 1st, 2026 at 3:50 pm
Brady walked after Kupp walked into the end zone in the championship game, he would have looked good playing for Canales the next year. Evans walked after 3-28, 4-14. He might look good next year as a 49er. Seems like there is a common component to that which we all know.
April 1st, 2026 at 3:53 pm
Mike who? You talking about that 49ers receiver again?
April 1st, 2026 at 4:21 pm
At the age of 33 when the 2026-27 season starts, Evans is definitely past his prime. The normal 70 catches for 1,000+ yards are also in all likelihood in the rearview mirror. He’s a nice-to-have at this stage in his career, but not a need to have, and no longer the #1 WR target for a QB.
April 1st, 2026 at 4:42 pm
Let it go man.
April 1st, 2026 at 5:08 pm
Musta been a reason that we’ll never really know. He’s rich and loves the Tampa bay area. So taking a pay cut is serious. As I said. We can only speculate.
April 1st, 2026 at 5:09 pm
I don’t blame him and I’m not angry at Mike for leaving, I wouldn’t want to play for Bowles either.
April 1st, 2026 at 5:50 pm
This is yesterday’s topic. It’s toxic and negative to keep talking about Mike Evan’s
April 1st, 2026 at 5:58 pm
No one knows for sure but I’m going to take a stab at it. Part, not all of the reason might be that he felt SF was a better place to cement his legacy as a HOF player. SF is a higher profile market and team so he’ll get more exposure and media coverage. He has played all these years in relative obscurity in Tampa. Yes he took less money but he’ll probably make up some of that with SF with more endorsements especially if things go well. Maybe his wife also this time wanted a bigger spotlight for Mike and herself as well. Nothing wrong with that.
April 1st, 2026 at 7:07 pm
Glazers felt Mike was done and had nothing left in the tank.
April 1st, 2026 at 7:12 pm
Thank you, Joe. More articles on Mike Evans, please. We must always remember and never forget that he preferred a pay cut and a 3000 mile move, after proclaiming he wanted to be a Buc for life, rather than play for Todda The Hutt.
April 1st, 2026 at 8:35 pm
Good points by ModHairKen. Mike may find things to be a bit harsher in San Fran if things do not go his way. As far as why he did leave, well I think the answer can be found by extending Occam’s razor: the most obvious answer is probably the correct one though the Glazers, Licht and Mike will never divulge this: 1) The Bucs started planning for the future when they drafted Egbuka and Mike saw that, hence the referecne to a solid WR room in Tampa 2) The revolving door at OC with a guy who was inover his head last year in Grizzard and the biggest reason and the most obviious; 3) Todd Bowles being retained. The weakest link on this team is the head coach; he refused to fire his putrid special teams coordinator, he decided to get involved with the offense after the bye and made matters worse, he is unaccountable and makes poor in game decisons, etc. etc. Can you blame Mike for leaving after the Glazers gave Bowles a pass for torpedoing last season????? Niners will make Mike their #1 WR but with Kittle and CMac, that is in essence 3rd fiddle with a QB who gets just as injured as Baker though Mac Jones is a good backup whereas Jason dropped the ball last year with teddy Hospital-Ball.
April 1st, 2026 at 8:40 pm
I’m over hearing about Mike. Time to move on!!! Get ready for the draft, and bring in some key pieces to the defense. If the o-line stays healthy, and the receivers get open, then we can overcome Baker’s little turnover bug that pops up from time to time. The offense will hopefully be coached to win instead of not lose this season under Robinson. Now again, can we please get over Evans and keep things movin’ along? GO BUCS!!!
April 1st, 2026 at 9:52 pm
When you don’t would’ve could’ve should’ve, you end up, keeping a less than mediocre coach and losing a Hall of Fame player that should’ve been a Buc for life. How’s that working for you, Joel?
April 1st, 2026 at 10:36 pm
We haven’t even begun to scratch the surface on the loss of Mike Evans. The reason is obvious but not officially confirmed . Until it is we need several JBF articles a day discussing it. We must always remember and never forget.
They kept Todd and lost Mike. And therefore lost a ton of loyal fans. By week 5 Chris Godwin will be asking to be traded to the 49ers. He knows the score, he and Mike are tight. The avalanche has started, all because the GM lost his mind, and hence will be losing his job when Todd loses his, around mid October 2026.
April 2nd, 2026 at 7:54 am
Wishing Mike Well
April 3rd, 2026 at 1:27 pm
Mike was an all time legend and appreciate what he did for us, but you’re either with us or against us, and he chose the latter. So one day when he’s retired and done and being put in the Ring of Honor and HOF as Buccaneer, I’ll cheer for him again. But until that time, screw Mike !
April 5th, 2026 at 12:48 pm
Why would the Bucs stomp on Mike now? He’s going to retire a Buc, be inducted in the ROH, rep the Bucs in the HOF, hopefully come back or at least invest in the Tampa community again at some point, etc.
Don’t be that bitter loser who got dumped. This is a professional game.