Tampa Bay’s disappointing end to the 2025 season came with an extra layer of sadness: It might have been the last time Baker Mayfield and Mike Evans shared the field in the NFL.
Evans, a 12-year veteran who has spent his entire career with the Buccaneers, is set for free agency in 2026. The 32-year-old has been a model of consistency since joining the Buccaneers as the seventh overall pick in the 2014 draft, hitting 11 straight 1,000-game hitting streaks in 1,000 seconds. 2025 campaign.
He has spent the past three years serving as Mayfield’s favorite target, catching 24 touchdowns between 2023 and 2024. In Evans’ absence in 2025, it was clear that Mayfield was playing without his solid core of receivers, forcing the quarterback to turn to other options (rookie Emeka Egbuka came up early in the season and lowered the cap) Bay’s offensive options.
It was a glimpse of what the future could look like for the Buccaneers. However, Mayfield does not believe this is becoming their reality.
“Here’s the thing,” Mayfield said during an appearance on The Ronde Barber Show. “I don’t really have to ask for it, because Mike is too much of a competitor and cares too much about Tampa to end his career without 1,000 yards, without a championship, without a playoff. And that, first and foremost, speaks to who Mike is.
“But that’s the truth. And you know, he doesn’t want to do it. And you know, you just might find it. And listen, I don’t have any information. I said to Mike, “It’s your decision. Take your time doing it.” But understanding who Mike is, my guess is that he didn’t want it to end like this.”