Why Mike Evans Decided to Leave Buccaneers for 49ers

Mike Evans is reportedly signing with the 49ers and will leave Tampa Bay after 12 seasons. | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

The 49ers have reportedly agreed to a a three-year deal with veteran wideout Mike Evans, marking a bitter end to his 12-year stint in Tampa Bay.

San Francisco agreed to terms on a three-year deal, Albert Breer reported Monday afternoon. The deal is worth up to $60.4 million, Adam Schefter added.

Evans’s agent, Deryk Gilmore, shared a public statement on the former Buccaneers wideout’s departure from Tampa Bay shortly after the news broke. Gilmore made clear that Evans’s decision to sign with the 49ers was not about the money:

“After twelve remarkable seasons in Tampa Bay, Mike Evans felt a desire to challenge himself with a new chapter in the final stage of his career. Throughout his entire career he has pushed himself to grow, compete, and evolve as a player, and this decision reflects that same mindset,” the statement read. “... Mike Evans’ decision to leave Tampa was never about money. 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. Tampa Bay will always be a special place for Mike Evans, and his respect and gratitude for the organization and its fans will never change.”

Schefter confirmed Evans’s reasons for leaving the Bucs, reporting that Evans desired “a new challenge” as he entered the final years of his NFL career. The Bucs, for their part, presented “what was said to be a very strong offer” to try to keep Evans.

Mike Evans agrees to deal with 49ers: What it means for Tampa Bay, San Francisco

The Bucs suggested there was no bad blood between the organization and Evans with an emotional farewell post on X shortly after the news broke.

“Saying goodbye to a legend such as Mike Evans is never easy, but today we are filled with appreciation and gratitude for all that he did during his extraordinary 12-year career as a Buccaneer,” a statement put out by the Glazer family, who own the Bucs, read. “Our goal was always to ensure that Mike would play his entire career as a Buccaneer, but as we got further in the process it became clear he was looking for a new challenge.”

The Glazers also made clear that when the time comes, they were prepared to honor Evans as a future Hall-of-Famer who made an indelible mark in Tampa Bay.

Despite the Bucs’ determined efforts, the organization saw Evans leave for a fresh start on another NFC powerhouse. The situation would be much more dire if Baker Mayfield didn’t have several other wide receivers at his disposal, though obviously none are as accomplished as Evans. Tampa Bay will likely turn to 2025 Rookie of the Year contender and breakout star Emeka Egbuka, whose production dropped off in the second half of last season but who still remains capable of developing into a bona fide WR1. The Buccaneers also have veteran Chris Godwin as well as youngsters Jalen McMillan and Tez Johnson, both of whom filled in admirably when Evans was injured in 2025. The team additionally re-signed Cade Otton in free agency on Monday, ensuring that Mayfield will get to keep throwing balls to his No. 1 tight end.

Godwin reposted the Evans news on Monday using a sad emoji as the duo in Tampa Bay is now split up after nine seasons together.

😔 https://t.co/9OFIIUVqJK

— Chris Godwin (@CGtwelve_) March 9, 2026

As for the 49ers, Brock Purdy finally gets a big-time weapon in the passing offense—no disrespect to Brandon Aiyuk or Jauan Jennings, both of whom may not be on the roster for long. Evans is coming off an injury-shortened campaign during which he missed most of the 2025 season due to hamstring and collarbone injuries, and he fell far short of what would have been a record 12th consecutive 1,000-yard campaign. His age and injury concerns aside, Evans arrives to the Bay Area as the Bucs’ franchise leader in receiving and has served as one of the organization’s most consistent and clutch stars for the last decade-plus. Purdy will be lucky to have him, especially with two of his top receivers’ futures up in the air: Aiyuk is going through a bitter fallout with San Francisco, and Jennings could potentially find a new home in free agency.

49ers star tight end George Kittle is also expected to remain on the sidelines after suffering an Achilles injury this past postseason, giving Purdy even fewer options on the receiving front. An experienced player like Evans, assuming he’s healthy, should provide a much-needed boost in Shanahan’s offense as the 49ers look to bounce back from last year’s disappointing finish (a 12-5 record and an early playoff exit) and return to the Big Game.

Evans had previously stated he wanted to be a “Buc for life,” yet times and sentiments have clearly changed, and the 32-year-old wideout’s playing days will surely be numbered in 2026 and beyond. Compared to all he achieved in Tampa Bay, Evans won’t be a very productive longterm asset for the 49ers, but he fills an immediate need for a team that has win-now Super Bowl aspirations and will need all the talent it can get to challenge the Rams and the Super Bowl-winning Seahawks in the NFC West.

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