Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans (13) Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

Buccaneers GM got Mike Evans advice from unusual source

By Victor Barbosa | Last updated 3/8/24

Tampa Bay Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht said Friday that he received a warning from his kids that if he didn't re-sign star wide receiver Mike Evans this offseason, Bucs fans would have a hard time ever forgiving him.

Message received.

Jason Licht says his kids told him that if he didn't re-sign Mike Evans "then I won't be able to go out to dinner anymore in Tampa."
— Andrew Siciliano (@AndrewSiciliano) March 8, 2024

Evans and Licht met with media members on Friday to discuss the 30-year-old's new two-year, $52M contract, which could potentially make him a career-long member of the organization.

Tampa Bay selected Evans with the seventh overall pick in 2014. The Texas A&M product has collected five Pro Bowls and helped the franchise capture one Super Bowl during his tenure while posting 10 straight 1,000-yard seasons to begin his career.

Evans finished the 2023 campaign with his highest number of targets (136), receptions (79) and receiving yards (1,255) since 2018 and tied with Miami Dolphins wideout Tyreek Hill for the league lead in touchdowns (13).

His 95 career touchdowns and 15.3 yards per touch lead all active players, while his 94 receiving scores rank second and 11,680 receiving yards are third.

Evans is also third in franchise history in games played (154) and leads the Buccaneers in almost every notable receiving category, including touchdowns, targets (1,321), receptions and receiving yards.

According to Greg Auman of Fox Sports, Evans said Friday that he'd like to play five or six more years at a high level in the NFL.

Mike Evans said it was wife Ashli telling him Friday night, “Maybe we should stay in Tampa” that was a catalyst for his return. They were at his mother’s house in Galveston. “I go, ‘I ain’t f—-ing leaving!’ I had that planned for a while. I had it even planned during the season.”
— JennaLaineESPN (@JennaLaineESPN) March 8, 2024

Licht also noted that he was with NHL legend Wayne Gretzky when he first heard that Evans agreed to the new deal. "The Great One" had ironic yet high praise for the wideout.

Bucs GM Jason Licht says he was at a charity event when he got the call that Mike Evans had agreed to terms.

"I was talking to Wayne Gretzky without knowing I was talking to Wayne Gretzky".
— Andrew Siciliano (@AndrewSiciliano) March 8, 2024

Licht said he was talking to Wayne Gretzky at @CoopersLaw charity event when he found out Evans had agreed to terms, so Gretzky was one of the first people to know. Said Gretzky said Evans is “a great one.”
— Greg Auman (@gregauman) March 8, 2024

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