The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are looking to take that next step back into Super Bowl contention this season. So far, they escaped with a win over the Atlanta Falcons, and are now set to take on the Houston Texans on Monday Night Football. This year may very well be the Buccaneers' best chance to win their third Lombardi Trophy, and that has a lot to do with star wide receiver Mike Evans.
Evans is in the midst of his 12th season in the NFL, all in Tampa Bay. In a recent interview with The Athletic's Zac Keefer, Evans hinted that this season could be his last, hinting at retirement. Here is the blurb from Evans' interview with Keefer.
“I plan on having one of my best seasons,” the 32-year-old says. “And if I retire after this year, I don’t think it’ll be a shock to people.”
Is that a prediction?
“I’m close to the end, that’s all I’ll say,” he says.
Mike Evans hints at retirement from NFL after this season
With these latest comments, Buccaneers fans can brace for a bitter-sweet season if Evans does opt to retire at the end of this year, or in the near future. If this truly is Evans' final season not only in Tampa Bay, but in the NFL, the fans will want to see him go out on top with another Super Bowl ring.
In hindsight, the Buccaneers using their first-round pick on Emeka Egbuka makes a bit more sense. Not only is he another top target in the passing game, but he very well could be Evans' successor.
Evans seems like a lock to make it into the Hall of Fame, as he is only one of two wide receivers in NFL history to have 11 consecutive seasons with over 1,000 receiving yards receiving. The other receiver is none other than Jerry Rice. Evans has a chance to break the record this season. As Keefer points out in the interview, Evans could very well be the first offensive player in Buccaneers history to get inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
So far this year, Evans caught five-of-eight targets for 51 yards. Now, he's set to take on a Texans' defense that allowed 245 receiving yards to the Los Angeles Rams in Week 1.