ClutchPoints
While some are not a fan of the Pro Bowl games featuring flag football instead of the traditional competition, Mike Evans believes it makes practical sense for his own career. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers wideout referred to the games as “good practice” for a potential run at the 2028 Summer Olympics, which are set to include flag football.
“This is good practice for my [for] the Olympics,” Evans said, via Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times. “Most likely, I’ll be retired by 2028. I don’t know. But if I am retired, I’d definitely like to [play in the Olympics].”
Mike Evans says the Pro Bowl game will be good practice for him because if he’s retired by 2028, he would like to play the sport for the U.S. Olympic team. pic.twitter.com/NCk8eDravB
— Rick Stroud (@NFLSTROUD) February 1, 2025
The 2028 Summer Olympics, which will be held in Los Angeles, California, will be the first games to feature flag football. The event will be exclusive to that year and is not expected to become a permanent fixture of the Olympic format.
The flag football rule set will feature a five-on-five game. The NFL is currently working on whether or not they will allow its players to participate in the games. However, as Evans pointed out, all retired players would be eligible to try out.
Evans is not the only active NFL player who has shown interest in playing in the Olympics. Tyreek Hill, Patrick Mahomes, CeeDee Lamb and others have all shown interest in taking the field in 2028.
Evans recently wrapped up a historic 2024 campaign, his 11th season in the league. During the final game of the regular season, Evans’ 61 receiving yards gave him his 11th consecutive 1,000-yard season to tie Jerry Rice’s NFL record.
However, despite his decade of dominance, Evans continues to hint at an upcoming retirement. The 31-year-old has spent his entire career with the Buccaneers and says he has no plans to play elsewhere. He is contracted through the 2025 season but could potentially restructure his contract during the offseason. Evans signed the two-year extension in the 2024 offseason.
Evans’ next big decision will likely come once his contract expires in 2026. By then, he will be preparing for his age-36 season and hitting free agency for the second time in three years. While he is clearly a step behind his athletic prime, his season-long results continue to suggest otherwise.
The Pro Bowl nomination in 2025 was the sixth of Evans’ career. He has been named to four of the past six Pro Bowls, including each of the last two.
The post Buccaneers’ Mike Evans makes 2028 Olympics revelation at Pro Bowl Games appeared first on ClutchPoints.
