Nobody wants to see their ex with someone else. Especially not on national television. Especially not when they seem like they’re doing really, really well.
That was the reality for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and their fans on Thursday night as the greatest wide receiver in franchise history, Mike Evans, made his debut with the San Francisco 49ers in a 27-7 win over the Los Angeles Rams in front of an estimated crowd of 100,000 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne, Australia.
Evans, who struggled with injuries his last 2 seasons in Tampa Bay, looked way more like the player who tied Jerry Rice’s record of 11 consecutive 1,000-yard seasons than the guy who limped his way through 2025 with career lows of 30 receptions for 368 yards and 3 touchdowns while missing a career-high 9 games due to injuries.
In his 49ers debut, Evans had 6 receptions for 49 yards and 1 touchdown on 7 targets. His touchdown came on a 2-yard touchdown pass from Brock Purdy with 11:03 left in the 3rd quarter to give the 49ers a 17-7 lead.
“Mike Evans has a TD catch for the 13th straight season, tying Zach Ertz for the longest active streak in the NFL,” ESPN Insights wrote on its official X account on Thursday night. “It was his 10th tight-window TD catch since 2022, tied for most in the NFL in that span.”
SFvsLAR on Netflix
Evans Tabbed for NFL’s ‘Biggest Comeback’ in 2026
Bleacher Report’s Gary Davenport singled Evans out as being primed for the “NFL’s Biggest Comeback” in 2026 after signing a 3-year, $42.4 million free-agent contract with the San Francisco 49ers in March.
“San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Mike Evans is in uncharted territory in 2026,” Davenport wrote. “Mind you, it’s not like he has never been injured — the 32-year-old sat out three games two years ago. But in a dozen professional seasons, he had never failed to amass 1,000 yards in a season before a broken clavicle limited him to just eight games and 368 yards in 2025. Not only is Evans attempting to return from injury, but he’s also on a new team after signing with the 49ers in free agency … who badly needs someone to step up as the team’s new No. 1 wide receiver, especially with (tight end) George Kittle rehabbing a torn Achilles suffered in the postseason a year ago. Evans has shown for over a decade that he’s capable of being that guy. And if he’s healthy again, he could put up some of the biggest numbers of his career in 2026.”
Evans’ Exit Called NFL’s ‘Worst Offseason Move’
Evans’ departure to the 49ers in free agency was called out by ESPN’s Bill Barnwell as the NFL’s “Worst Offseason Move” after leaving a gaping hole at wide receiver for the Buccaneers.
“It’s never fun to lose franchise stalwarts,” Barnwell wrote. “Evans was hit by injuries in 2025, but he had one of the most efficient seasons of his career in 2024, when the future Hall of Famer averaged 2.6 yards per route run. Even worse, Evans did not sign an exorbitant deal in leaving Tampa Bay. Evans’ contract with the 49ers is really a one-year pact for $14.3 million. The Bucs are in a tight cap situation when you consider that Baker Mayfield is coming due for a raise this offseason, but those are more than fair deals for players who still project to play at a high level in 2026.”
Ex-Tampa Bay Buccaneers WR Mike Evans Wows in 49ers Debut