Bucs GM Says Mike Evans Turned Down 'Significantly' Bigger Contract to Sign With 49ers in NFL FA

Many were surprised to see star receiver Mike Evans end his 12-year tenure with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to sign a three-year deal with the San Francisco 49ers this offseason, but a new revelation on Wednesday will likely raise eyebrows even further.

While speaking to reporters, Bucs general manager Jason Licht revealed that the team "made a significantly higher offer" to Evans than the $42.4 million contract he signed with the 49ers.

"I feel like we did everything we could. I had a lot of talks with Mike about that," Licht told reporters.

Licht also said that Tampa Bay's lucrative offer to Evans was "just the first offer," indicating that the team didn't get a chance to make another pitch before he bolted to the Bay Area. He added that he didn't think Evans' frustrations or a lack of confidence in head coach Todd Bowles led to his decision to leave.

After Evans' deal with San Francisco was finalized, his agent, Deryk Gilmore, released a statement saying that leaving Tampa Bay after establishing himself as one of the greatest players in franchise history was "never about money." ESPN's Nick Wagoner revealed that his deal with the 49ers "essentially amounts to a one-year deal worth $14.3 million, all of which is fully guaranteed." The deal reportedly "includes a $12 million signing bonus and two option bonuses, one for $12.05 million in 2027 and one for $10.95 million in 2028 for a total of $23 million."

Evans also made it clear that he wasn't chasing a major payday in free agency this offseason.

"I love money like everybody else," Evans said, per Wagoner. "The money was not the biggest factor for me. It was just football and something that I can be excited about. … Every time I come to Levi's Stadium, and I see how the crowd is, and I see the energy that they bring and the rich history of the San Francisco 49ers, it just excites me. I feel like it's given me a second wind in my career. And that's why I chose to come here."

The 49ers and Bucs won't play each other during the 2026 season, so there won't be any awkward run-ins between Evans and his old team. It sounds like he's content with his decision to turn down more money to sign with San Francisco.