Buccaneers Super Bowl Champion Calls 49ers ‘Better Team’ in Mike Evans Move

Few free agency moves have rocked Tampa Bay Buccaneers fans like Mike Evans' recent departure to the San Francisco 49ers. Evans, a franchise legend with 11 1,000-yard seasons and a Super Bowl ring with the Bucs, was initially set to be a "Buc for life" after signing an extension in 2024 — now, though, he's headed to the NFC to play for Kyle Shanahan and the 49ers.

There has been plenty of discussion on why Evans left, and a few of his former teammates in Tampa Bay have weighed in. Another former teammate and likely future Hall of Famer, Rob Gronkowski, is the latest — he was asked by NFL personality Kay Adams on her Up & Adams show about Evans' move, and he had some interesting things to say about the 49ers and the Buccaneers regarding Evans' decision.

Rob Gronkowski thinks Mike Evans made the right move

Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end Rob Gronkowski (87) scores a touchdown against the Philadelphia Eagles | Kim Klement-Imagn Images

Gronkowski told Adams that between the Bucs and the 49ers, he believes that Evans is going to the better football team in San Francisco.

"I feel like he kinda wanted a new challenge in life, you know. He played 12 seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers," Gronkowski said. "He has a great scenario in Tampa, everyone is thankful for what he's done, I'm sure he's just as thankful as anyone else... I truly believe that he's on a better team with the San Francisco 49ers."

Gronk reacts to former teammate Mike Evans signing with the 49ers after 12 seasons with the Bucs:

"I truly believe he's on a better team with the San Francisco 49ers... He wanted a new opportunity."@RobGronkowski | @heykayadams pic.twitter.com/hmkyp4cvsO
— Up & Adams (@UpAndAdamsShow) March 10, 2026

Gronkowski went on to say that while Evans' move has nothing against the Bucs or quarterback Baker Mayfield, Evans was likely looking for a change of scenery and wanted to leave a Tampa Bay team he called "inconsistent."

"If you watch the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last year, how are they going to improve? They were very up-and-down, very inconsistent. It also hurt that Mike Evans was injured throughout the year as well, but I think he wanted a new opportunity. He wanted a new feel of the NFL."

Gronkowski knows this process well, as he unretired from football to follow quarterback Tom Brady to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2020. That resulted in a Super Bowl ring, and Evans is hoping to get the same with the 49ers in San Francisco — the 49ers have been twice since 2019, but they haven't been able to win that championship. The 49ers hope Evans is a missing piece, and Evans likely believes that he could end his career with a title there.

The 49ers arguably have more talent than Tampa Bay does with an arguably much better head coach, but they also play in a very difficult division that features the Los Angeles Rams and the defending Super Bowl champions in the Seattle Seahawks. The Buccaneers, meanwhile, are set to contend in the NFC South, and they'll have to do it without Mike Evans.

The Bucs still have Emeka Egbuka, Chris Godwin and Jalen McMillan on the roster, and they'll have to get ready for life without Evans as the 2026 season looms.

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