MikeEvans isinanewuniformforthefirsttimeinhisNFLcareer,andtheveteranwidereceivermadeitclearthatjoiningtheSan Francisco 49ers wasaboutonethingaboveallelse:football.
After12seasonswiththeTampa Bay Buccaneers,EvanschoseanewchapterintheBayArea, signing a three-year, $42.4 million deal with the 49ers earlier this week.
Whileleavingtheorganizationwherehebuilthiscareerwasn’teasy, Evans’decisionultimatelycamedowntofindingtherightfittochaseanotherchampionship.
“ItwasalwaysgoingtobehardtoleaveTampa,”Evanssaid during an introductory press conference on Thursday.
“Iwasthere12years.Alotoffriendsoutthere.Myfamilyhasfriendsoutthere.Mykidsbuiltalifethere.Mywife.But football-wise,thiswasthebestspotforme.”
More on 49ers WR Mike Evans
Theresume MikeEvansbringswithhimspeaksforitself.
Priortoaninjury-shortened2025season,the 32-year-oldhadrecorded11consecutiveseasonswithatleast1,000receivingyards,tyingHallofFamerJerry Rice forthelongestsuchstreakinNFLhistory.
Overhis12-yearcareer,hehasaveraged10touchdownsperseason,cementinghisreputationasoneoftheleague’smostconsistentplaymakers.
Lastyearwastherareexception.Evansplayedjusteightgamesduetoafracturedcollarbone,finishingwith30receptionsfor368yardsandthreetouchdowns.Thelosttime,however,hasonlyaddedmotivationashebeginshisnextchapter.
“Absolutely,”Evanssaidwhenaskedifthere’sextrafuelafterlastseason. “IalwaysfeellikeI’vegottoprovesomething.IalwaysfeellikeIcanbebetter,andIwanttoshowthatI’mstillwhopeoplebelievethatIam —oneofthebesttoeverdoit.”
Fromafootballperspective,Evanssaidthe49erscheckedeveryboxhewaslookingforduringfreeagency.
“Iwaslookingatcontenders,”Evanssaid. “Guyswithgoodquarterbacks,obviously.IwaslookingatteamsliketheBuffalo Bills andotherteamsthatneededanumber-onewidereceiver.ButwhenIgotonthephonewiththem,thisbecamemynumberonespot.”
AconversationwithheadcoachKyle Shanahan andgeneralmanagerJohn Lynch onlyreinforcedthedecision.
Head Coach Kyle Shanahan and General Manager John Lynch of the San Francisco 49ers during rookie training camp at the SAP Performance Facility on May 12, 2023 in Santa Clara, California.
(Photo by Michael Zagaris/San Francisco 49ers/Getty Images)
“I’vealwaysbeenafanofKyle,”Evanssaid. “Hetalkedabouthowheseesmeinthisoffense,anditjustmademeevenhappier.Itwasano-brainerafterIgotonthephonewithhim.”
Evansalsopointedtotheteam’srecentsuccessasamajorfactor.Evenwhiledealingwithinjuriesacrosstherosterlastseason,SanFranciscoremainedacontender.
“Theyalwayscompete,”Evanssaid. “Evenwiththeinjurieslastyear,Ifeelliketheywereonepieceaway,andIthinkI’mthatpiece.”
EvanswillnowpairwithquarterbackBrock Purdy,aplayerhe’sbeenimpressedwithsincefirstseeinghimacrossthefieldin2022.
“Trueprofessional.Reallyunderratedplayer,”Evanssaid. “HisfirststartwasagainstmyBuccaneers,andIsawrightthenandtherethatifIplayedwithhim,Icouldhelphimoutalot.IhopeIcanhelphimgettowherehewantstogo —beaSuperBowlchampionandpotentiallyanMVP.”
AnotherfactorinEvans’decision?TightendGeorge Kittle.
“Georgewasthebiggestsalesman,”Evanssaidwithasmile. “Hesolditbigtime.He’sabigreasonwhyI’mhere.”
ForEvans,themoverepresentsmorethanjustachangeofscenery.It’sachanceatwhathecalleda “secondwind”inhiscareer —andanopportunitytoaddhisveteranpresencetooneoftheNFL’smosttalentedlockerrooms.
“I’msuperexcitedeverytimeIcometoLevi’sStadiumandseetheenergyfromthecrowd,”Evanssaid. “Therichhistoryofthe49ers,itjustexcitesme.”
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