When the Tampa Bay Buccaneers lost wide receiver Mike Evans in free agency it felt like a franchise-shifting move. Evans had been with Tampa Bay for 12 years and will go down as one of the franchise icons. However, he admitted that he left the Buccaneers after the 2025 season to join the San Francisco 49ers because he felt that they were more win-now.
Evans spoke to KNBR in San Francisco about leaving the Bucs after such a long run.
“I spent my entire career, 12 seasons in Tampa,” admitted Evans. “I love the fan base, the people in the front office, my teammates, but I felt it was time for a change.”
Evans said that the 49ers rejuvenated him. The Bucs were declining and so was Evans. The lost in the first round of the playoffs in 2024 and Evans went from 1,255 yards to 1,004. Then, the Bucs failed to miss the playoffs with an epic collapse in 2025. Evans dropped from 1,004 yards to 368.
“This team rejuvenated me and probably added a few more years to my career,” said Evans on what the 49ers have meant to him.
Evans has 326 yards in five games for the 49ers. He is averaging 3.05 yards per route run. Last year he averaged 1.62 yards per route run.
Former Tampa Bay Buccaneers WR Mike Evans Opens Up on Leaving the Franchise
Evans noted that the biggest difference was that he saw San Francisco as more win-now. The Bucs were not making positive steps towards a Super Bowl run while San Francisco is always a contender.
“They had everything I needed and checked every box,” admitted Evans. “They’re trying to win now. The quarterback, great skill players, great defense, great coaching staff, and lastly, a great organization.”
Whether that was a shot at Baker Mayfield, the skill players, Todd Bowles, or even the General Manager, he did not feel those people were up to par in the same way the 49ers were. Evans admitted that as a former Super Bowl winner, he knows what those teams had. He sees that with the 49ers.
“In Tampa, I was on a really good team, with Tom, AB, Gronk, Chris Godwin, and Lavonte David. So this team is just as strong as them. Hopefully, we can achieve the same success here.”
Godwin is on the current team, but he is not the same version of himself. David retired after 2025, leaving the franchise at the same time as Evans.
Evans Was Proven Right About Buccaneers
One of the best players in Buccaneers franchise history told reporters he thought the Buccaneers were not able to compete at the same level as a conference foe. He was proven right. As things stand, the Bucs are 1-5. The 49ers are 5-0.
San Francisco is gearing up for a playoff run, and the Bucs are running out the clock on Bowles. The question we will never know the answer to is whether firing Bowles would have brought Evans back.
Evans might have known that Bowles would not have put them over the edge, while also realizing a new coach would take too much time. So, he would have left regardless.
This article was originally published on HEAVY
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