Veteran wide receiver Mike Evans’ move from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to the San Francisco 49ers was one of the NFL’s blockbuster moves. Evans ended his 12-year association with the Bucs by signing a three-year, $42.4 million contract with the NFC West giants.
Why Did Mike Evans Leave the Tampa Bay Buccaneers?
In an interview with KNBR, Evans explained why he left the Buccaneers after spending his entire career in Tampa until now.
“I felt like it’s what I needed at this point in my career,” Evans said. “I Love Tampa. Been there my whole career, 12 seasons. Love the fanbase, love the people in the front office, my teammates. But just felt like it was time for a change, and this team is definitely, feel like it’s rejuvenized me and potentially added some years on my career.”
Evans further explained why he joined coach Kyle Shanahan’s 49ers instead of any other team in the league.
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“It was like self-explanatory,” Evans said. “I mean, they had everything I was looking for. They checked all the boxes. Try to win now. Quarterback, great skilled players, great defense, great coaching staff, and then just great organization. And then a bonus is the weather that I didn’t even know about.”
“I’ve been around some great teams, and this stacks up there with one of the best teams I’ve been a part of,” Evans added. “Obviously, we have to go out there and prove it… This stacks up right there, and hopefully we can accomplish what I accomplished with that team.”
After a stellar college football career with the Texas A&M Aggies, Evans was selected No. 7 overall by the Buccaneers in the 2014 NFL Draft. He quickly established himself as one of the league’s most lethal wide receivers and set several franchise records.
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Evans’ last season in Tampa was hampered by injuries, including a hamstring strain sustained in a Week 3 game against the New York Jets, which sidelined him for a month. He also suffered a concussion and a broken clavicle.
The injuries affected Evans’ production, limiting him to 368 receiving yards and 3 touchdowns on 30 receptions over eight games. He earned a PFN Wide Receiver Impact score of 79.9, ranking 63rd at his position.
So far in his career, the 32-year-old wide receiver has earned six Pro Bowl nods and two second-team All-Pro selections and was the 2023 NFL receiving touchdowns co-leader.
Before his injury-hit 2025 season, Evans logged 11 consecutive seasons of 1,000+ receiving yards, a record he shares with the iconic Jerry Rice for the most by a receiver in league history.
Evans has been limited during the 49ers’ training camp with a strained left quad and sat out the team’s preseason game against the Tennessee Titans on Thursday.
