Baker Mayfield has created a strong bond with Mike Evans during their time with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. However, the wide receiver is rumored to retire soon, and the quarterback has gotten honest about the situation.
Mike Evans has been a standout wide receiver for 12 years. However, after several seasons battling injuries and failing to stay fully healthy, his 13th year in the league is now in jeopardy. Nevertheless, Mayfield believes the veteran will return for a key reason: Buccaneers new offensive coordinator Zac Robinson.
“I don’t have to really plea with it,” Mayfield said. “Mike’s too much of a competitor and cares too much about Tampa to end his career without 1,000 yards, without a division championship, without a playoff run. And that, first of all, speaks to who Mike is but that’s the truth. And you know he doesn’t want to do that. You could just kind of feel it.
“Listen, I don’t have any info. I’ve told Mike, ‘This is your decision. Take your time doing it.’ But, understanding who Mike is, this is my guess, that he didn’t want it to end this way. He knows the potential if we’re able to stay a little bit more healthy. Zac will do great things for us, and we’ll go from there. But Mike’s got more in the tank. You could tell with the energy, the fire he had at the end of the year.”
Age is not just a number
Mike Evans has been a cornerstone of the Buccaneers’ offense for over a decade. Unfortunately, the 32-year-old is beginning to feel the effects of his veteran status, as injuries during the 2025 season sidelined him for much of the year.
The same situation occurred with Chris Godwin. While he has been a reliable target for Baker Mayfield, he has also struggled to stay healthy in recent seasons, forcing the team to rely heavily on a younger option for much of the 2025 campaign.
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Emeka Egbuka entered the season as the WR3. However, with both Evans and Godwin dealing with injuries, the rookie stepped up as the primary wide receiver, developing strong chemistry with Mayfield and giving fans optimism about a future without the veteran duo.
If Evans ultimately decides to retire, Godwin is expected to take over as WR1, with Egbuka moving into the WR2 role. While the wide receiver group would still be solid, the Buccaneers’ offense would undoubtedly look very different without Evans on the field.
