It took until the very last play of the season, but Mike Evans continued his streak of 1,000-yard receiving seasons last year. Even though he only played 14 games, the six-time Pro Bowler has played in Tampa Bay his entire career. Dating back to 2014, Evans has been one of the most consistent players ever to wear the Buccaneers uniform.
Now, he has a decision ahead of him with flag football appearing in the 2028 Summer Olympics.
Mike Evans Remains Hesitant to Commit to 2028
At 31 years old, Evans is nearing the age where some NFL players can comfortably retire and move on with their lives. He has had a few injury scares, including last season, when he only appeared in 14 games. That was the least amount of games Evans has played since 2019, when he played in a career low 13 games.
With Tom Brady potentially coming out of retirement to play in the Olympics, Evans knows that a reunion with the seven-time Super Bowl Champion is possible.
Brady played with Evans during his time in Tampa Bay from 2020 to 22, and the two instantly showed off their chemistry. Seeing as the Olympics are still a few years away, Evans is having issues committing to it at this point.
The 2028 Olympics is a while away, but #Bucs WR Mike Evans is already thinking about participating in flag football. Evans reiterated that he “most likely” will be retired by then, but anything can happen. pic.twitter.com/RY2UGK2QZf
— PewterReport 🏴☠️ (@PewterReport) June 12, 2025
“2028 is a while away, and I saw all of the controversy about the flag team, but I didn’t even know we had one of those. I mean, we’ll see when it happens. I’d still love to at least be on the roster at that point,” Evans said.
When asked if he’ll be retired by then, “I most likely will be… 2028, would it be the summer of 28? I don’t know, anything can happen. I don’t know, we’ll see, we’ll see, but that would be dope.”
Everything changed once it was announced that NFL players could play in the 2028 Olympics. The current Team USA flag football team took offense to that, as they’ve been doing quite well without players with NFL experience.
KEEP READING: Bills Projected To Sign 3-Time Pro Bowler As Buffalo Tries to Bolster Roster For Potential Super Bowl Run
Quarterbacks like Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen have also commented on playing in the Olympics, a reality that NFL players never thought they’d have the chance to experience. With Evans closer to retirement than he is to his prime, it’s hard to imagine the Buccaneers receiving a core without him.
Baker Mayfield will continue to have Evans and Chris Godwin as his top targets, with Jalen McMillan and Emeka Egbuka on the team. Evans’ success relies on a quality quarterback, and Mayfield has proven that he can utilize Evans to his full potential.