SANTA CLARA – Mike Evans’ highlights were showcased in Wednesday’s team meeting, a day before coach Kyle Shanahan is letting the 49ers out early for summer break.
“It’s hard for young guys not to fan-girl over a guy like that. Even myself, I’ll watch him from afar,” left tackle Trent Williams said. “Coach put him up on the big board today. For OTAs in, what Year 13, taking it serious as he did, that to me is an example of why he is who he is.”
Evans’ addition was the 49ers’ most prominent offseason move, and his self-described “smooth” transition after 12 years in Tampa Bay bodes well for an offense that must overcome NFC West superpowers in Seattle and Los Angeles.
“Every day I see Mike, I say, ‘Wow Mike Evans is here.’ I pinch myself every day,” tight end George Kittle said. “If you look back at the 49ers, this is like the first legit veteran wide receiver I’ve had on my roster since Emmanual Sanders in 2019, in my opinion. Nothing against all the other veteran receivers I’ve had but he’s a Hall of Famer who is a First Team All-Pro, Pro Bowl guy. He’s an incredible wide receiver.”
San Francisco 49ers' Mike Evans speaks during a press conference at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., on Wednesday, June 3, 2026. (Shae Hammond/Bay Area News Group)
San Francisco 49ers’ Mike Evans speaks during a press conference at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., on Wednesday, June 3, 2026. (Shae Hammond/Bay Area News Group)
It was no surprise to see Evans break free against Deommodore Lenoir to catch Brock Purdy’s first pass of team drills Wednesday. More wide-open catches followed. Evans even darted into a scrum to block on a run play.
Evans’ arrival was the expected star attraction in an offseason program that is ending early. The final organized team activities will take place Friday, with coach Kyle Shanahan nixing next week’s mandatory minicamp as a reward for players’ participation (and perhaps to avoid next week’s final World Cup preparations at Levi’s Stadium).
“He takes ball incredibly seriously, and that sets the tone for the wide receiver room especially with a bunch of young guys in there,” added Kittle, whose Achilles recovery had him running on the side in hopes of a Week 1 comeback.
Like Kittle, a major injury impacted Evans, too, last season. He missed nine games, initially due to a hamstring strain before sustaining a fractured collarbone.
After producing 1,000 yards in each of his first 11 seasons, Evans planned on easily breaking Jerry Rice’s record and being the first to string together 12 straight 1,000-yard campaigns. All he totaled was 368 yards on his way out as the Bucs’ all-time leading receiver.
“It was super disappointing. I’m extremely competitive and for me to not break that record, I thought I was going to break it easy, how hungry I was going into that season,” Evans said. “In life some things are not going to go your way.
“I look at that injury as a blessing in disguise. I’m feeling really fresh, I’m feeling rejuvenated and I’m in a new spot, a change I felt needed.”
San Francisco 49ers' Mike Evans (5) catches the ball during practice at Levi's Stadium practice field in Santa Clara, Calif., on Wednesday, June 3, 2026. (Shae Hammond/Bay Area News Group)
San Francisco 49ers’ Mike Evans (5) catches the ball during practice at Levi’s Stadium practice field in Santa Clara, Calif., on Wednesday, June 3, 2026. (Shae Hammond/Bay Area News Group)
And change is what’s come to a 49ers’ receiving corps that relied on past playoff runs with Deebo Samuel, Jauan Jennings and Brandon Aiyuk, the latter of whom remains on the roster’s reserve/left-squad list and has a Santa Clara County warrant out for his arrest in regards to last December’s viral video of him speeding past Levi’s Stadium.
As for Evans, he met the media for the first time face to face Wednesday and wore a sleeveless T-shirt that read “humble over hype.”
“Sometimes you get around certain guys and every single day it’s something different,” wide receivers coach Leonard Hankerson said. “But with Mike, you know exactly what you’re getting from him. He comes in, works his tail off, asks questions, writes his notes, sits in the very first seat in the room. If there’s something he doesn’t understand, he asks.”