Remember that slow start Mike Evans got off to this year for Tampa Bay? Yeah, that did not last. Evans did get off to a slow start this year. Chris Godwin was getting most of the WR tosses from Tom Brady as he was second in the NFL in receiving yards until his injury. Then, of course, Brady loves throwing to Gronk. But, Evans was catching touchdowns.
Evans had 4 games in which he caught 2 or fewer passes, but he caught touchdowns in two of those. Against the Chicago Bears, midway through the season, he caught three touchdown passes, and was looking like prime Mike Evans. He ended the season with 14 touchdowns, breaking his own Tampa Bay Buccaneers franchise record of 13.
High School and College
Evans was primarily a basketball player growing up and in high school. His senior season, he averaged 18.3 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 5.2 assists. His senior year was the only year he played high school football. He caught 25 catches for 7 touchdowns. Evans could have played division one basketball at a mid-level major, or run track at and division 1 school, but he decided to play football for the Texas A&M Aggies.
Evans was outstanding for the Aggies. As a redshirt freshman, he had 82 catches for over 1,100 yards. In 2013, he had 279 yards receiving in a game against Alabama to set the school record. Later that year, he set the record again against Auburn with 287 yards.
NFL
Tampa Bay selected Evans with the seventh pick in the 2014 NFL Draft. In 15 games as a rookie, Evans had over 1,051 yards receiving and 12 touchdowns, which was arguably the best rookie season ever for a wide receiver.
In 8 seasons in the NFL, Evans is already the Tampa Bay all-time leader in receptions, with 606, yards with 9,301, and touchdowns with 75.
This year, he set the NFL record with his 8th consecutive 1,000-yard season. Jerry Rice leads with the most total 1,000-yard seasons with 14. Evans is in a tie with a bunch of players for 5th. Another 1,000+ season next year will put him in a tie for 4th with Tim Brown, Jimmy Smith, and Terrell Owens.
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