Mike Evans Talks Tom Brady, Says Baker Mayfield Is 'Big Reason' He Returned to Bucs

Mike Evans' career in the NFL has run the gamut from several years in the wilderness when the Tampa Bay Buccaneers were struggling to breakthrough to now having the longest active playoff streak among NFC teams.

Appearing on the LOL Network's Cold As Balls YouTube show with Kevin Hart (starts at 6:55 mark), Evans explained how the biggest shift that happened for the organization was in 2020 when Tom Brady signed with them in free agency:

"Everybody's energy changed. Everybody’s confidence just grew. Obviously we had other quarter backs that worked extremely hard and made other guys work hard but it was just different. When Tom’s around you have to go hard and something inside you makes you want to play harder for that guy because of what he’s done for the game and how he comes to work.”"

Heading into his age-32 season in 2025, Evans praised Baker Mayfield as a "big reason" why he decided to re-sign with the Bucs as a free agent in March 2024 (starts at 14:00 mark):

"Huge impact. Huge! He’s a big reason why I came back. The energy he’s brought to Tampa after Tom [Brady], that’s a huge act to follow and I think he’s done an unbelievable job winning two division championships and making it to the postseason. Tampa is in great hands with Baker and I’m sure he’ll play much longer than I will and I look forward to a great season this year and competing for a Super Bowl."

The Buccaneers have been one of the best-run franchises in the NFL since Jason Licht was hired as general manager in January 2014.

Evans was the first draft pick of Licht's tenure when he was selected at No. 7 overall. It also marked the start of a terrific draft run for the front office that saw them build up the nucleus of their Super Bowl team over the next several years, including Chris Godwin (2017), Vita Vea (2018), Carlton Davis (2018), Alex Cappa (2018), Devin White (2019), Jamel Dean (2019), Tristan Wirfs (2020) and Antoine Winfield Jr. (2020),

Brady was the cherry on top to finish off the roster after spending the previous five seasons hoping Jameis Winston would figure things out.

Even after Brady's retirement following the 2022 season, the Buccaneers were able to maintain their competitiveness by bringing in Mayfield on a one-year deal in free agency.

Mayfield was looking to rehab his career after splitting time between the Carolina Panthers and Los Angeles Rams in 2022. He turned in arguably the best year of his career up to that point with 4,044 passing yards and 28 touchdowns in 17 starts.

The Bucs rewarded Mayfield with a three-year, $100 million contract in March 2024. He responded with an even better season, throwing for 4,500 yards and a career-high 41 touchdowns.

One reason Mayfield is thriving in Tampa is because Evans remains very good at an age when many receivers would be in their decline phase. The six-time Pro Bowler had 1,004 yards and 11 touchdowns in 14 starts last season.

After another widely-praised draft class in April, the Bucs are set up to be one of the top teams in the NFC again this season. Evans' enthusiasm makes perfect sense given how often their front office seems to push the right buttons.