Mike Evans said late last year that he’ll make a decision about playing in 2026 “when the time is right” and Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield thinks he knows which way that decision is going to go.
During an appearance on The Ronde Barber Show, Mayfield was asked about what kind of pitch he’d make to Evans about returning for a 13th season. Mayfield said he doesn’t believe he’ll have to make a hard sell because Evans will want to play for new offensive coordinator Zac Robinson while wiping away the memory of missing the playoffs at the end of an injury-plagued season.
“I don’t have to really plea with it,” Mayfield said. “Mike’s too much of a competitor and cares too much about Tampa to end his career without 1,000 yards, without a division championship, without a playoff run. And that, first of all, speaks to who Mike is but that’s the truth. And you know he doesn’t want to do that. You could just kind of feel it. Listen, I don’t have any info. I’ve told Mike, ‘This is your decision. Take your time doing it.’ But, understanding who Mike is, this is my guess, that he didn’t want it to end this way. He knows the potential if we’re able to stay a little bit more healthy. Zac will do great things for us, and we’ll go from there. But Mike’s got more in the tank. You could tell with the energy, the fire he had at the end of the year.”
Evans is not under contract for the 2026 season, but it feels like a safe bet that the Bucs would want him back if the wideout decides to keep playing.
