Mike Evans is going with the most classic line possible to explain his break-up with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers: “It’s not you, it’s me.”
The longtime Buccaneers wide receiver made the stunning decision on Monday to leave the only team he’s ever played for. Evans signed a three-year contract with the San Francisco 49ers in free agency that could earn him up to $60.4 million.
The 32-year-old wideout wanted the Buccaneers organization and its fans to know that the decision wasn’t due to any rift with the team.
Evans, through his agent Deryk Gilmore, made a statement noting that the decision “was never about the money.” The team “would have loved for Mike to finish his career in Tampa,” which would have made the surefire Hall of Famer the fourth Buccaneers lifer to “walk into Canton representing the organization.”
“Mike Evans’ decision to leave Tampa was never about money,” the statement read, via ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
“The Buccaneers were extremely aggressive in their pursuit and presented a very strong offer, demonstrating how much they value him and everything he has meant to the franchise. In the end, this decision simply came down to Mike wanting a new challenge and a fresh opportunity while he still feels he has a great deal left to give the game.
Evans had no shortage of suitors for his services. The 6-time Pro Bowler reportedly had at least three other teams trying to poach him away from Tampa Bay. But the allure of being a featured player in 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan’s offense won out in the end.
