Mike Evans considered joining Texans, Chiefs before re-signing with Tampa Bay

Tampa Bay Buccaneers fans can thank Mike Evans‘ wife for convincing the 10-time 1,000-yard receiver to stick with the team this offseason as he considered free agency. The former A&M star revealed this week at training camp which other teams he considered before signing his new contract with the Bucs, and what the factors were that convinced him to stay.

“I’ve been here my whole career and that was a goal of mine, in the back of my mind was Houston, Kansas City, I love Pat Mahomes’ game, I’m thinking those two teams, and I’m obviously thinking Bucs, but it would have been extremely hard, if I had hit free agency, to leave here,” Evans said.

“This is where my family knows… my wife doesn’t want to pack up and move everything. It was really her decision… it was the reason why I decided to stay,” he added. “She loves this place and I love this place, so when she gave me the go-ahead, no-brainer. I’m not saying I was going to go somewhere else but I was going to enter free agency. We went to dinner and she said, ‘I think we should stay in Tampa.’ She never brought it up at all so when she said that, it was like, oh yeah, we’re staying in Tampa.”

Evans’ deal to remain with Tampa Bay was for two years and $52 million, including $35 million guaranteed. The Buccaneers drafted Evans out of Texas A&M with the No. 7 overall pick in the first round of the 2014 NFL Draft.

He inked a rookie deal for four years, $14.6 million, then the Buccaneers exercised his fifth-year option. The biggest deal of his career, Evans signed a five-year, $82.5 million extension in 2018 that was set to run out in March.

Evans remains with Tampa Bay for Year 11

A 10-year veteran, Evans has been a model of consistency since entering the league. He’s recorded at least 1,000 receiving yards in every season he’s been in the league, the longest such streak to begin a career. Evans’ 10 consecutive 1,000-yard campaigns are the second-most in NFL history, trailing only Jerry Rice (11). Rice leads all wideouts with 14 1,000-yard seasons overall; he is tied for second with Randy Moss.

Evans had his best season since 2018 this past season, hauling in a team-leading 79 receptions for 1,255 yards, to go along with a league-leading 13 touchdowns. He earned an AP second-team All-Pro selection and the fifth Pro Bowl selection of his career.