Mike Evans already holds the NFL record for starting an NFL career with 1,000 yards in nine straight seasons, and he’s looking to add one more to his record this season. In Sunday’s game against the 6-3 49ers in San Francisco, he had 43 catches for 737 yards. evans He is poised to reach 1,000 receiving yards for the 10th straight season.
He will then aim to match Jerry Rice’s record of 11 consecutive seasons with 1,000 yards receiving. It’s a record he’s been thinking about for a while.
“I’ll think about it. It’s right there, so I’ll definitely go and get it.” Evans told KPRC 2 Houston’s Ali Alexander at a summer youth football camp. “I’m already one of them right now. I hope I can pass the great Jerry Rice and his record. Probably like never before, no one will ever surpass his record in total. But 1,000 yards in a row. It would be great to set a record.”
But first things first. Evans needs to reach 1,000 yards this season, and given his current pace, that should happen in early December. The Bucs’ 2014 first-round pick is 263 yards away from reaching 1,000 yards receiving.
Mike Evans is on track for one of his best seasons ever
Bucks WR Mike Evans – Photo by Cliff Welch/PR
Mike Evans, 30, is averaging 81.9 receiving yards per game and is on pace for 1,392 yards this season. This is the second-highest receiving yardage season of his career. In 2018, Evans caught 86 passes for 1,524 yards.
If Evans, who is in his contract year with the Bucs, continues at his current pace, he should surpass 1,000 yards in four games in Week 14 at Atlanta. Evans should produce one or two 100-yard games by now. He was able to accomplish that feat in just three games, at home against the Panthers in Week 13.
Evans scored six touchdowns, matching his total from a year ago. And he should have more.
In addition to the touchdown he caught last week against Tennessee, Evans also dropped an easy touchdown, and last week in Houston he was taken down at the 1-yard line after a big catch. Evans also dropped TDs against Minnesota and Philadelphia earlier in the season.
Still, he’s on pace for 11 points this season, marking the fifth time in his 10-year career in Tampa Bay he’s reached double-digit TDs. Evans set the Bucs’ single-season TD catch record with 12 as a rookie in 2014 and matched that total in 2016, his first Pro Bowl season.
Evans then broke that single-season receiving touchdown record with 13 in 2020, reaching double-digit scoring again and helping Tampa Bay win Super Bowl LV. next season. Evans scored 14 touchdowns in 2021, eclipsing his own record once again.
Bucks WR Mike Evans – Photo by Cliff Welch/PR
Evans is on pace for 81 catches this season, his most since an 86-catch season in 2018. That year, Evans gained 1,524 yards, a career high in receiving yards. He was the best weapon in Tampa Bay history, making a career-high 96 catches in 2016.
He’s having a very good year, but unless he picks up the pace significantly and produces some great days, including multiple 100-yard games down the road, Evans will be the biggest individual in catches and receiving yards this season. It is doubtful whether the current bet will be reversed. Evans has two 100-yard games this season, including last week’s game against the Titans, when he had six catches for 143 yards.
