Jerry Rice gives Bucs WR Mike Evans blessing to break 1,000-yard record

TAMPA, Fla. -- If Tampa Bay Buccaneers franchise scoring person Mike Evans has his say, 2025 volition cookware retired conscionable a spot otherwise than 2024. In summation to helping his squad gain a 4th consecutive NFC South title, helium notched 1,000 receiving yards for the 11th consecutive twelvemonth -- matching a grounds acceptable by Pro Football Hall of Famer Jerry Rice -- but it came connected the last play of the season.

"Hopefully I tin bash it ... early," Evans said, flashing a grin and letting retired a chuckle. The six-time Pro Bowler missed 3 games with a hamstring wounded past play -- tied for his longest agelong of missed games arsenic helium heads into Year 12. Evans told ESPN that it was 1 of the astir challenging hamstring injuries helium has dealt with.

But present helium gets his changeable astatine sole possession of the record, and Rice gave him his blessing to bash so. Rice has held the grounds since 1996, though that was successful an epoch erstwhile the NFL played lone 16 regular-season games earlier adding a 17th successful 2021.

Rice told Evans successful a diagnostic by The Players' Tribune, "You cognize that I'm pulling for you right?"

Evans responded to Rice, "That means much to maine than you could ever know, truthful I admit that, O.G. You are the original. ... This is truthful surreal close now. This is surreal for maine that you cognize who I am."

Evans already has the grounds for the astir consecutive 1,000-yard seasons to commencement a vocation astatine 11 -- Randy Moss is adjacent astatine six -- but arsenic acold arsenic the astir 1,000-yard seasons successful a career, Evans broke a necktie with Moss for 2nd past play and sits down Rice's 14.

Rice and Evans had met concisely successful 2018, but this was their archetypal clip sitting down for an extended conversation. They talked shop, discussing the nuances of way running, including the post-corner.

"You perfected conscionable way moving successful general," Evans said. "But the post-corner is to maine your champion route, and I've learned however to tally that way due to the fact that of you."

Rice told Evans, "You got to beryllium capable to merchantability routes. You got to marque the hostile judge your archetypal chopped is truly wherever you're going to get the ball."

The 2 besides discussed however they'd spell astir trying to support the different and what sharing the grounds astatine this clip means to some of them.

"Being capable to beryllium down and speech to the top receiver ever was beauteous humbling," Evans reflected. "The things helium had to accidental astir maine -- it was a large infinitesimal for me. ... That's different happening that was humbling astir it -- however helium [received] me. He showed maine love, truthful that was truly cool."

Evans, who turns 32 successful August, is entering the last twelvemonth of his declaration and has not indicated however overmuch longer helium wants to proceed playing. Previously successful 2023, helium entered the play expressing dissatisfaction astir not having a caller contract, but his mindset is antithetic this year.

"I honestly haven't adjacent thought astir [the future]," Evans said. "I conscionable thought astir having a large twelvemonth this year, and we'll spot what happens."