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Greg Auman
NFC South Reporter
Sunday was a good day for Mike Evans, who caught the longest touchdown of his NFL career for the go-ahead score as he went 75 yards in the Bucs’ much-needed win against the Panthers.
Moments after the touchdown, he also reached what has become an annual celebration for Bucs fans: Mike Evans reaching 1,000 receiving yards for the 10th straight season, an unprecedented streak to start a career.
Retired NFL star J.J. Watt congratulated him on social media with three words: Hall of Fame.
Watt is not alone in mentioning Evans as someone destined for Canton, Ohio. As Evans did a postgame TV interview on the field, safety Antoine Winfield interrupted: “He’s a legend! He’s a Hall of Famer.”
There has always been talk of Evans as a future Hall of Famer, especially once he had the postseason relevance of a Super Bowl ring as Tom Brady’s leading receiver in 2020. Now, as Evans moves up the NFL’s career receiving lists while still only 30 years old, it’s a question he is getting asked himself.
“That’s not for me to decide,” Evans said after Sunday’s win. “I know that I am a Hall of Fame-caliber player. Like, I’ve seen all the guys that have played — all the guys that are in the Hall of Fame. I know what I can do, but my career’s not over yet. So that’s something to think about in the future.”
Evans will be a free agent this spring, and while he and the Bucs have expressed a genuine interest in him playing his entire career in Tampa, he could be playing for another team next season. His success this year, currently ranking second in the NFL in touchdown catches, has validated the idea that he still has years of winning football ahead of him.
“I think Mike can play as long as he wants to,” Bucs coach Todd Bowles said Sunday night. “His drive and desire are there.”
Evans already has a solid Hall of Fame résumé. Looking at all NFL players in their first 10 seasons, Evans is now tied for fifth in…
Source link : https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/bucs-wr-mike-evans-adding-to-strong-case-for-hall-of-fame
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Publish date : 2023-12-05 16:00:43
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