Report: Mike Evans to join 49ers after 12 seasons with Bucs
Mike Evans' remarkable tenure with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers is ending after 12 seasons, as the wide receiver is signing a three-year contract with the San Francisco 49ers, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter.
The reported deal is worth up to $60.4 million, Schefter adds.
Evans became a free agent for the first time this year at age 32.
"Saying goodbye to a legend such as Mike Evans is never easy, but today we are filled with appreciation and gratitude for all that he did during his extraordinary 12-year career as a Buccaneer," the Glazer family, which owns the team, wrote in a statement. "Our goal was always to ensure that Mike would play his entire career as a Buccaneer, but as we got further in the process, it became clear he was looking for a new challenge."
Evans' agent, Deryk Gilmore, said Monday that the receiver's decision to leave Tampa Bay isn't "about money."
"The Buccaneers were extremely aggressive in their pursuit and presented a very strong offer, demonstrating how much they value him and everything he has meant to the franchise," Gilmore wrote in statement obtained by Schefter. "In the end, this decision simply came down to Mike wanting a new challenge and a fresh opportunity while he still feels he has a great deal left to give the game."
Evans established himself as one of the best red-zone weapons in the NFL while topping 1,000 receiving yards in each of his first 11 seasons. That streak ended in 2025 as injuries limited him to 30 catches, 368 yards, and three touchdowns in eight games.
The six-time Pro Bowler led the NFL with 13 touchdown grabs in 2023. He topped double-digit TDs four times between 2020-24.
Wide receiver was one of the Niners' biggest question marks heading into this offseason. Jauan Jennings is also a free agent, and San Francisco is parting with former All-Pro wideout Brandon Aiyuk. Ricky Pearsall headlines the team's depth chart at the position, but the 2024 first-round receiver has struggled to stay healthy.