The Big Lead

Mike Evans locks up a massive bonus on the final play of the regular season

The Buccaneers wideout hit his yardage bonus on the very last play of Tampa Bay's game against the New Orleans Saints.

By Matt Reed

Jan 5, 2025; Tampa, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans (13) celebrates after a reception to put him over 1,000 yards for the season in the second half against the New Orleans Saints at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images
Jan 5, 2025; Tampa, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans (13) celebrates after a reception to put him over 1,000 yards for the season in the second half against the New Orleans Saints at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images / Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images
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Mike Evans is now just running away with his own record for the most seasons with 1,000 or more yards to begin a career, and he's only competing against himself at this point.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver hit the 1,000-yard mark for the 11th straight season on Sunday against the New Orleans Saints, but it took Evans until the very final play of the game to reach the milestone.

On a weekend where there wasn't much to play for in many games, it was a clearly surreal moment for Evans and his Bucs teammates. Tampa had already locked up the win and could've kneeled the ball down, but quarterback Baker Mayfield helped Evans get the five yards he needed to reach the 1k threshold.

In addition to hitting the mark, Evans also guaranteed himself a significant $3 million bonus, and the opportunity to earn more money by finishing top 10 in receiving touchdowns. Plus, if Tampa advances in the playoffs, Evans will early $500,000 with each victory.

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Evans has been one of the most consistent wideouts in the NFL for over a decade, and with another playoff appearance and NFC South title wrapped up it goes to show how valuable the veteran receiver is for Todd Bowles' team.

Evans only trails Hall of Famer Jerry Rice for the most 1,000-yard seasons in NFL history (14). Putting together four more seasons of high-level football may be tough for Evans to surpass Rice, but his achievements up until this point have been incredibly impressive nonetheless.

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