Wide receiver Mike Evans is already a legend in Tampa Bay, but it remains to be seen how much longer he plans to play in the league as he approaches his twelfth season in the NFL . Evans hasn't been very open about an exact timetable for his retirement, and he kept that up when speaking with Kay Adams of the Up & Adams show following practice.
"Right now, I'm just focused on this season. This is the last year of my deal. I'm obviously an older player, but I feel great," said Evans. "Retirement at the end of the season isn't off the table, and playing for, you know, 2-5 years is not off the table either... I know I'm not playing 5 more years, but right now, if you ask me today, it's easy for me to say I can play another 2, 3 years. But, it's a lot that goes into the season."
It doesn't seem as if Evans is in any hurry to declare when he will retire as a Tampa Bay Buccaneer. Evans' contract is up following this season, and if he decides to keep playing, he will likely sign one-year deals from here on out to allow himself wiggle room when it comes to retiring on his own terms.
Evans might have been coy in his response, but he made one thing clea, no matter when the time comes for him to hang up his cleats comes around.
"Yeah, I'm a Buc for life. No matter what."
Evans Chasing History Could Impact Retirement Plans
Evans has been playing strong despite turning 32 years old to begin the 2025 season.
This past season, Evans tied Hall of Famer Jerry Rice for most consecutive seasons with 1,000 yards receiving seasons (11) and has a chance to surpass Rice this year if he can once again eclipse that benchmark.
Evans has done all of this since being drafted seventh overall out of Texas A&M in the 2014 NFL Draft, and there have been no signs of slowing down.
If Evans can get to 12 consecutive seasons of 1,000 receiving yards to jump Rice for the record, he would have done plenty to cement himself as one of the all-time greats and a place in Canton, Ohio.
However, that would also put him just three more seasons of that output away from surpassing Rice's other NFL record of 14 total seasons with 1,000 yards receiving. Evans has tried not to think about that record as he contemplates his future with the Bucs and in the NFL. Still, it would be hard not to see a competitor of Evans' nature turn down the opportunity to immortalize himself even further before calling it quits.
