With a chance to run a fly pattern into free agency, Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans opted for the comeback route.
Evans officially signed a two-year, $41 million contract on Friday to extend his career in Tampa Bay into an 11th season.
The deal includes $29 million guaranteed, according to ESPN. He’ll resume his pursuit of Jerry Rice’s record of 11 consecutive 1,000-yard seasons in 2024 after hitting that mark in each of his first 10 years with the Bucs.
“The first 10 years of Mike’s time in Tampa have been truly unprecedented and we look forward to seeing him continue to break records and add to his legendary career as a Buccaneer,” Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht said. “Mike is a special player who has made a lasting impact on this franchise and in our community. As great as he’s been on the field, Mike and his wife, Ashli, have had an even bigger effect in the Tampa Bay area through all their charitable work. He is crucial to our team success and exemplifies everything we want our players to be.”
Without further adieu, Mike Evans. pic.twitter.com/b18YumruzG
— Tampa Bay Buccaneers (@Buccaneers) March 8, 2024
Evans said Friday his goal all along was to be with the same franchise from the start of his career to the finish.
“Tampa is home,” Evans said, noting he and his wife briefly discussed what it would be like to play elsewhere before coming to the joint realization a return was the option they wanted.
Evans was the first draft pick Licht made as general manager, selected seventh overall in the 2014 draft. Now the Buccaneers are focused on bringing back quarterback Baker Mayfield, who is ticketed for unrestricted free agency after leading Tampa Bay to the NFC South title and playoffs in his only season with the team.
This is Evans’ third contract with the Buccaneers.
Evans has been a team captain seven consecutive seasons.
The 30-year-old was ticketed for free agency at the turn of the new league year next week. He just finished a five-year, $82.5 million contract with the Bucs, but Licht and head coach Todd Bowles sent strong signals in recent days that they weren’t letting Evans out of town.
“He came to work every day, he came into play every day, as you can see as a result from his statistics,” Bowles said at the NFL Scouting Combine last week. “You know, he he’s been here for like a decade and he’s done the same thing every year. He’s been very consistent. He’s very dynamic yet he’s very humble off the field, but he’s a confident player. He’s one of my favorite players. I have a lot of respect for Mike and everything he does. He’s earned what he done.”
Evans had 79 catches for 1,255 yards with a league-leading 13 touchdowns last season.
He has 762 career receptions for 11,680 yards and 94 TDs in 154 games (153 starts). He also has 709 yards receiving and five TDs in nine postseason games, two of those TDs coming in the 2020 Super Bowl run.
–Field Level Media