Mike Evans lay prone on the turf of Ford Field after his injury and concussion Monday night.
Bucs quarterback Baker Mayfield and Hall of Fame receiver Mike Evans may be tighter than you think.
The two may not be super best friends. They may not often hang out at dive bars and pound beers and wings or go fishing each week in the offseason, but they are close.
Evans seriously considered football life outside of Tampa Bay. But he decided to stay, in large part because of Mayfield. And Mayfield has never forgotten that.
When Evans went down last night with a broken clavicle, it’s no stretch to suggest Mayfield was shook up. Not just because the Bucs lost one of the best receivers in the game maybe for the rest of the regular season, but it was both a friend and a close teammate.
“I mean, obviously, for the team, it’s not great, but for him, I hate it,” Mayfield said. “You know, from seeing him work each day in person, whether he’s healthy or hurt, just how he attacks each day [the injury] just sucks.
“You know, you never like to see that, whether it’s a teammate or not, but especially when it’s Mike. So unfortunate.”
Still, Mayfield fully expects to see Evans at One Buc Palace every day doing what he can to rehab his injury, but to also help young receivers so the Bucs can bounce back to their winning ways.
“Mike’s a professional,” Mayfield said. “He’ll handle it the best way he possibly can.
“Being injured and not being able to play is one thing, but I know Mike will be there and support the guys no matter what. And that’s that’s really just a testament to who he is.”
Mayfield knows from personal experience Evans’ absence will eat away at him.
“It’s not that easy to do,” Mayfield said of being sidelined. “Sometimes it’s hard to stand around and watch and when you know you want to be out there and contribute.
“But Mike, he’ll help our guys out in any way.”
Evans is on Joe’s back burner. There’s no guarantee he will be back for the regular season. Even Todd Bowles said last night, “we’ll see” about Evans’ progress two months from now.
Joe wants Evans back, of course, but he’s down the road. Right now, Joe’s focus will be on Bucky Irving and Luke Goedeke and Chris Godwin. The Bucs offense will be so much better with those three back, even two of the three.
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