Mike Evans had a couple of teams in his mind after his Tampa Bay Buccaneers deal ran out following the 2023 season. He eventually signed a contract extension and decided to remain in Florida.
The Bucs felt relieved after the deal went through because Evans did hint about playing with some of the best quarterbacks in the NFL back then. In a recent interview with the NFL Network from the Bucs training camp, the 30-year-old disclosed the names of the teams.
Eventually, Evans opted to stick around with the Buccaneers, who selected him as 7th overall in the 2014 NFL Draft. He repaid the franchise by lifting the Lombardi trophy during the 2020 season with Tom Brady throwing the ball.
In 2023, the Bucs signed Baker Mayfield, and he instantly stuck a cord with Evans. The veteran wideout finished with 79 catches for 1255 receiving yards and the league’s highest 13 touchdowns. He became the first receiver ever to record 1000 receiving yards in his first 10 years in the NFL.
Mike Evans thanked his wife for convincing him to stay with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Bucs defied all the odds and reached the NFC Divisional round by destroying the Philadelphia Eagles 32-9 in the wild card. Evans thought it was the end of the road for him in Tampa Bay, but then his wife persuaded him to re-sign with the Buccaneers.
It was [really] her decision, [she] is the reason why I decided to stay. She gave me the go-ahead... I was gonna hit free agency, and then, we were at dinner; she said, 'I think you should stay in Tampa.' Mike Evans stated
He signed a 2-year $52 million contract, which will run out in 2026.
I've been here my whole career. And that was a goal of mine. Mike Evans added
In his view, hitting free agency would have been tough not just for him but also for his family and kids who were born in Tampa. In the end, it was a no-brainer for him.
As for the Kansas City Chiefs, they signed Marquise Hollywood Brown from the Baltimore Ravens following the departure of Marquez Valdes-Scantling to the Buffalo Bills. They also drafted Texas graduate Xavier Worthy and already had former second-round pick Rashee Rice.
The Texans signed all-pro receiver Stefon Diggs from the Bills. They have a core group of receivers consisting of Tank Dell, Nico Collins, and tight end Dalton Schultz.
