“He wants to be a Buck for the rest of his life.”
That’s what Bucs wide receiver and franchise icon Mike Evans told his agent, Derrick Gilmore, just before re-signing with a new two-year, $41 million contract. However, it wasn’t always considered a sure thing that a deal would be made between Evans and the team.
The just-released documentary, which includes exclusive interviews with Evans, Gilmore, and general manager Jason Licht, provides a more behind-the-scenes look at how the negotiation process went and why he wanted to stay in Tampa Bay. I’m digging deep.
‘There were concerns’ about Mike Evans returning to Bucks
Back in last offseason, Mike Evans’ agent, Derrick Gilmore, gave the Bucs a tight deadline of Sept. 9 to sign the star wide receiver. make a statement That put the ball in the Glazers’ court.
Bucks WR Mike Evans Photo courtesy of USA Today
This began questions about a player who has become synonymous with Bucs football. Since being drafted No. 7 overall in 2014, Evans has not only set an example of consistency on the field, but has also become a fixture in the Tampa Bay community off the field.
Ever since he first donned the red and pewter suit, he has been on a journey that will one day see him receive a gold jacket from the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio. However, with this deadline in place, there was no guarantee that he would be able to complete what he started with the team where he started his career.
When it came time to set deadlines, I wanted my team to handle things.
“We just let them decide,” Evans said of setting a deadline. “Do they want to extend me now? If not, I’m going to play the season to the end and see what happens at the end of the season.”
The situation was much different in a league where wide receivers take to social media to request trades and call out teams. Evans and Gilmore didn’t want his new contract to become a distraction during the season. He spoke to the media before the season about the situation and his future.And in typical Mike Evans fashion, he let his play do all the talking.
Mike Evans’ Agent and Day 1 Sports & Entertainment CEO Derrick Gilmore
“What I thought was just amputate.” [negotiations] Because he didn’t want reporters coming up to him every week,” Gilmore said. “No, Mike and I are football guys and we don’t want to get in the way. We want to focus on the game and let everything else take care of itself later.”
That said, there were some concerns over the course of the season that a new contract would come true, especially for Evans, who finished the season with 79 receptions, 1,255 yards, and 13 touchdowns, proving that he is still at the top of his game.
“There were concerns,” Bucks general manager Jason Richt said. “None of us want to lose Mike. Leading up to ownership, we all envisioned Mike being a Buc for life, but for me it was really personal. Very disturbing. It was the right moment, and sometimes there’s no point in fearing the worst.”
Mike Evans’ new contract has been long awaited
Bucs QB Baker Mayfield and WR Mike Evans – Photo by Cliff Welch/PR
There was some concern that Mike Evans wouldn’t return after the 2023 season, but he and Derrick Gilmore realized that Tampa Bay was the only place they belonged, and they spent a lot of time trying their best. I worked on it.
There’s something special about athletes who stay with one team throughout their career. Since free agency became popular across professional sports, it’s rare for players to stay with one team forever, as many pursue higher salaries and better situations.
As Gilmore said of Evans, “I wanted him to be like Derek Jeter in Tampa Bay.”
But closing a new deal isn’t as easy as it sounds. The number of contracts and other factors, such as changing quarterback guard from Tom Brady to Baker Mayfield, are also constantly debated.
“We’ve been working on this deal for a little over two years,” Gilmore said of the length of contract negotiations.Mayfield came to town before the season looking to get back on track, so it was little surprise that he would turn to Evans early on. – And often.
“Baker comes in. I promise you Baker’s going to get Mike the ball,” Gilmore added. “I said, ‘He’s going to have a great year, and this is going to cost him more down the road.’
Bucks general manager Jason Licht is all for keeping the band together and earning a reputation for working well with players and agents alike.
Bucks GM Jason Licht – Photo by Cliff Welch/PR
After the team’s victory in the 2020 Super Bowl, the team opted to re-sign all 22 starters in an unprecedented continuity move. This offseason alone, each of the team’s top free agents returned to play and remained. However, in Evans’ case, the annual salary difference between the two men was at one point $4 million.
This opens the door to the possibility of him playing elsewhere, and both Evans and Gilmore remained open-minded about where that would take him. “I told my agent I wanted to be a free agent to see what would happen,” Evans said.
Meanwhile, his representatives were already scouting potential landing sites. In the video, Gilmore rattled off other potential destinations for his client if an agreement with Tampa Bay isn’t reached.
To keep him, Richt needed to get the ball rolling and detailed when negotiations started moving forward.
“I talked to him all season long, in the locker room, in practice, after games,” Richt said. We got to the point where we said, “I just want to let Mike know, we’re going to get something done. We’re going to work on this and get it done.” [NFL Scouting] After much discussion, we decided we needed to step up and get this done. ”
“The Bucks have always been No. 1.”
It was on the night of March 3rd, when Mike Evans and Derrick Gilmore were on the phone, that Evans made it clear he wanted to be a Buck for the rest of his life. After considering the possibility of playing elsewhere, he realized that Tampa Bay was the place for him.
“When you think about it, it didn’t make sense because the Bucks were No. 1 the whole time,” Evans said. “If I wanted to go to the Bucs, they would give me everything I wanted. Me and his wife decided, ‘We should stay in Tampa.’
Bucks WR Mike Evans and GM Jason Licht – Photo by Scott Reynolds/PR
It made Jason Licht one happy man.
Evans was Richt’s first draft pick as general manager in 2014. Both players have roots in Tampa Bay, and while front offices often don’t try to form close relationships with players who come and go frequently, this pairing proved to be an exception.
“Every player has the right to personally look at the situation to try to improve it,” Richt said. “Their families, their livelihoods. You can never take a player like Mike for granted. I don’t think so. To be honest, there were many nights when I feared the worst, that he wouldn’t come back.”
Evans’ return to the Bucks means he can continue to build on his legacy. While he has Already quite a resumethe documentary ended with him discussing what he wanted to be known for when he finally decided to hang up his spikes.
“It’s a solid legacy,” Evans said. “I won some matches, broke records, earned some good coin, took care of my family, and helped out the community.”
A behind-the-scenes look at Mike Evans’ re-signing with the Bucks
To check out the full 11-minute documentary detailing Mike Evans’ return to the Bucks, as told by Hassan Khan, go to time 2 football YouTube channel below.
