The Tampa Bay Buccaneers had the ball up eight points late Sunday against the New Orleans Saints and could have easily lined up in the victory formation to melt the clock away. Instead, they put their playoff future on the line in order to force-feed wide receiver Mike Evans as he was still a few yards shy of his 11th consecutive 1,000-yard season. It was a risky move but everything went fine with Evans reeling in the ball to add a little extra sweetness to the Bucs' enormous win.
That Evans's teammates were so fired up by his streak-extending grab—and that the Saints didn't seem too upset by the unusual move—is a testament to how much respect he commands around the league. The broadcast feed clearly showed that this was a major moment for all involved but it's the miked-up footage from Inside The NFL that shows the real emotion of the moment.
Evans was understandably pumped by getting the cherry on top of a successful Sunday and acted as though he would have run through a series of brick walls had they been available. He had to settle for being mobbed like those college kids when they are told they've earned a scholarship in front of the entire team.
.@MikeEvans13_ was mic'd up for his record-breaking catch and it's incredible 🔊 pic.twitter.com/AfvoV0Vp73
— NFL (@NFL) January 6, 2025
Evans had to work harder to get to the 1,000-yard mark this year as he was only able to play 14 games. He showed that he's still one of the most explosive wideouts in the game, capable of hauling in a game-changing touchdown at any time.
The Bucs will now look to carry the good vibes over to their Sunday night playoff matchup with the Washington Commanders.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Mike Evans's Miked-Up Celebration of Record-Breaking Catch Is Pure Adrenaline .
