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Looking for their fifth straight NFC South title, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are closing in on their 2025 preseason opener. On Saturday, the team will take on the Tennessee Titans at home. While the team’s starters likely won’t see the field too much, it is still an important step to prepare for the upcoming regular season. During Wednesday’s training camp session, Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans spoke with Kay Adams on the “Up and Adams Show.” The two spoke about a few topics, including Evans’ potential retirement plans.
“Right now I’m just focused on this season,” Evans said during his appearance on the show. “This is my last year of my deal. I’m obviously an older player but I feel great, so you know retirement at the end of the season is not off the table. And playing for two to five more years is not off the table either. Well five years, no, I’m not playing five more years.”
Evans turns 32 later this month, so it’s natural for the veteran wideout to start thinking about life after football. The Buccaneers legend is arguably the best player in franchise history and has many other projects outside of the game. He’s beloved in the Bay Area, choosing to stay put when many players in his position in the past left. If Evans does decide to retire after this season, where does that leave the Bucs?
At the moment, it certainly looks as if Tampa Bay has the best receiving corps in the game. The team’s top four of Evans, Chris Godwin, Jalen McMillan and Emeka Egbuka looks lethal to opposing defenses. Many questioned GM Jason Licht’s choice to take Egbuka with the team’s first round pick this past April. However, with Evans entering the final year of his deal and Godwin coming off a severe ankle injury, it might have been a stroke of genius.
Quarterback Baker Mayfield has solidified his hold on the starting signal caller spot. He’s thrived in Tampa, in large part due to the sheer number of weapons around him. Evans is the leader of that group of weapons. Regardless if this is his final season or not, there’s no doubt that the former first round pick will look to continue his record of 11 straight 1,000-yard seasons. If this is Evans’ last ride, then capturing his second Lombardi Trophy next February would be a storybook ending for Tampa Bay’s version of the GOAT.
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