Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans has put any retirement discuss with bed. Evans will return for a thirteenth season in 2026, agents Deryk Gilmore and Darren Jones told Kimberley A. Martin of ESPN. Although Evans is a career-long Buccaneer, the pending free agent will explore his options on the open market.
While Evans left the door open for retirement in September, he would have exited on a sour note had he passed through with it. The 32-year-old entered 2025 aiming for a twelfth straight 1,000-yard campaign, which might have broken a tie with Jerry Rice for the all-time record. Nevertheless, multiple injuries – including a broken clavicle – prevented Evans from surpassing the legendary Rice.
Playing in only eight of the Buccaneers’ 17 games, Evans wound up with 30 catches, 368 yards and three touchdowns. His injuries contributed to a disappointing finish for Tampa Bay, which went 8-9 and missed the playoffs for the primary time since 2019.
On Feb. 8, Gilmore expressed optimism Evans would proceed playing, stating: “[Evans] finished feeling higher than he has in several seasons. I believe his competitive nature results in more football. That’s my hope.”
Evans proved Gilmore right nine days later, but now their focus will turn to which uniform he’ll wear in 2026. As Jordan Schultz notes, “Evans’ heart has at all times been in Tampa.” Nevertheless, if Evans sees a greater opportunity after the Buccaneers fell flat in 2025, he may take it.
The last time Evans was on target to achieve the open market, 2024, the Buccaneers prevented it from happening with a two-year, $52MM offer. A bunch of teams were prepared to line up for Evans before he re-signed. He later pointed to the Texans and Chiefs as clubs he would have considered joining had he rejected the Bucs’ proposal. As a Galveston native and a former Texas A&M standout, signing with the Texans would have given him a likelihood to play in his home state.
More to come back…