Mike Evans Tampa Bay Buccaneers
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Mike Evans #13 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
At one point in the 2025 NFL season, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers looked like one of the best teams in the league, with star quarterback Baker Mayfield making a legitimate case for NFL MVP.
Unfortunately, injuries caught up with the Buccaneers, and things started to fall apart for a team that was firing on all cylinders earlier in the 2025 campaign.
Despite a disappointing end to the season, the Buccaneers proved at times they have a talented team that can contend with the best of the best in the NFL, something the franchise needs to capitalize on during the offseason.
Bucs Want Mike Evans Back Next Season
Mike Evans Tampa Bay Buccaneers
GettyMike Evans #13 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
One of the biggest question marks for the Buccaneers heading into the NFL offseason is the immediate future of star wide receiver Mike Evans, who has played his entire career in the league in Tampa Bay.
Even though Evans is a future Hall of Famer and one of the best players to ever come through the Buccaneers organization, and as consistent as any player that has played for the franchise, the team won’t prevent him from exploring his options in NFL free agency.
However, according to James Palmer of The Athletic, the Buccaneers’ brass want Evans to return for the 2026 NFL season.
James Palmer
“He’s earned the right to do this. And he knows we’d love to have him back.” Jason Licht on Mike Evans and him exploring free agency.
“He’s earned the right to do this,” Licht said of Evans. “And he knows we’d love to have him back.”
After playing at least 13 games or more in his first 11 seasons with the Buccaneers, Evans played a career-low eight games during the 2025 campaign due to injuries.
Although he’s coming off his worst season to date, which is directly attributed to injuries, Evans has played at a high level his entire career and will undoubtedly receive some interest in free agency, which could mark the end of his stint in Tampa Bay.
Baker Mayfield Opens Up About Kevin Stefanski
Baker Mayfield Kevin Stefanski Tampa Bay Buccaneers Cleveland Browns Atlanta Falcons
GettyBaker Mayfield #6 and head coach Kevin Stefanski of the Cleveland Browns
Recently, the Atlanta Falcons announced the hiring of Kevin Stefanski, formerly of the Cleveland Browns, as the franchise’s new head coach, replacing the recently fired Raheem Morris.
Stefanski, now at the helm of the Falcons, will be directly competing with his former Browns quarterback, Mayfield, who recently sparked controversy with comments about the new head coach in Atlanta.
Mayfield clarified those comments in a recent interview with Sports Illustrated.
“There’s stuff there, but it’s not like it’s a beef,” Mayfield said on the relationship with Stefanski. “We’ve worked together; anytime you know somebody, you want to beat them, whether it’s a good or bad relationship.
“Not a revenge game of a sense of Atlanta, but we lost the division for the first time since four or five years, so any divisional game will be a revenge game, I guess.”
There’s no question that Buccaneers-Falcons games moving forward will have a little added drama and a different feel, with Mayfield wanting to get the best of Stefanski while competing for the NFC South division title every year.