49ers Coach Sounds Off on Mike Evans Ahead of 2026 Season

This is how Mike Evans is impacting the 49ers already.

Aug 13, 2026; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Mike Evans (5) watches from the sideline during a game against the Tennessee Titans in the fourth quarter at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Gonzales-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The highlight addition that the San Francisco 49ers made this offseason was wide receiver Mike Evans.

It was shocking to see he chose to sign with the 49ers. He was primed for a nice cash-out from a team, which the 49ers couldn't compete with.

Fortunately for the 49ers, he chose to forgo lucrative contracts from other teams to play for, in his eyes, the best team in the NFL. He chose winning over money, a rare sight.

Evans thinks he is the missing piece to the 49ers' offense, and he's right. They needed a true No. 1 wide receiver after Brandon Aiyuk went AWOL.

Ever since he joined the 49ers, every player and coach has raved about him. Offensive coordinator Klay Kubiak is the latest to sound off on Evans's impact ahead of the 2026 season.

"He's obviously the veteran presence, he's seen a lot of football and he's a very savvy, confident veteran football player who adds a lot of leadership qualities to our room. And he's a matchup issue," Kubiak said. "And he's a guy who, to me, what I've been most impressed about Mike is, Mike doesn't ask a lot of questions. He doesn't overthink a lot of things.

"Give me the route, tell me the play, I'm going to find a way to get it done. And I really respect that about Mike. He doesn't overthink it. And he's a competitor. And so, I really like what we've been seeing. He's been out there practicing these past couple of days, looks good. And like everyone else, looking forward to the season and seeing how he can grow in our offense.

Evans has to feel like a breath of fresh air to Kubiak, especially after last season. Most of his receivers were young, so he had to have been explaining everything carefully and repetitively.

He doesn't have to do that with Evans. He's a 13-year veteran with a Super Bowl ring and multiple Pro Bowl accolades. He's a future Hall of Famer.

In a way, coaching Evans has to be like taking a break for Kubiak. And speaking of breaks, Evans has been on one for a good chunk of training camp due to a quad and a groin injury.

He's struggled to make it through a stretch of practices, which can indicate that his body is breaking down. It's very possible since he's 33 years old and has a lot of mileage on his tires.

However, Evans has assured that if it were the regular season, he'd be fine. Hopefully that is truly the case, as the 49ers need Evans for their offense to ascend.