Mike Evans Deserved That Final Play To Go Over 1,000 Yards For An NFL Record 11th Straight Season

Mike Evans re-signed with the Buccaneers in the off-season and a major storyline was he wanted to tie the record for most 1,000 yard seasons with the team he started with. Going into the season he had 1,000 yards in 10-straight seasons to start his career, which was an NFL record. But Jerry Rice owned the record for most consecutive 1,000 yard seasons in a row with 11. 

I called it out in 2021 and Vegas has been aware ever since. His line is never 1,000.5 yards anymore. It's significantly higher. But a few weeks ago, when DraftKings made 1,000 yards available, I (responsibly) hammered it as my Prop of the Year.

For today's game vs. the Saints, the Bucs just needed to win and they'd be in the playoffs. They were favored by 14 against an injury riddled Saints team, so while winning was a definite focus, the whole city wanted Mike Evans to get at least 85 receiving yards.

The game was not going according to plan in the 1st half.

But after an opening drive TD from the Bucs, the tide started to shift and Baker Mayfield and Mike Evans started chipping away at the 85 yards. 

Tampa Bay prioritized winning though and took an eight point lead with just under two minutes left and Evans was stuck on 80 yards.

After what appeared to be a game-winning stop of the Saints with 35 seconds left, some were thinking the Bucs would take a knee. But this was bigger than a knee. This wasn't Ricky Davis throwing the ball off his own rim for a triple-double. This was a celebration of one of the greatest players in Buccaneers history. A tribute to his work ethic and durability.

Evans is the Bucs nominee for Walter Payton Man of the Year and does a ton of work in the community. The whole crowd was cheering for the Bucs to throw it as they walked onto the field for that final play. They knew was what at stake and what that catch meant.

Evans showed as much emotion as he's ever shown after the play. The record meant a lot, but he also made $3,000,000 in incentives today by reaching 1,000 yards and snaring five catches.

It was incredible to see and there is nobody more well deserving than Mike Evans.