Ahead of the Week 18 matchup against the Carolina Panthers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans spoke about his uncertain future.
Mike Evans Talks Future
Mike Evans said that his broken collarbone injury was a “kind of a blessing in disguise” saying, “I missed the game more than I thought I would.”
(Also, when you start signing one-year deals, you start getting the same questions 😆) pic.twitter.com/2niwcmebqF
— JennaLaineESPN (@JennaLaineESPN) December 30, 2025
Could Saturday’s Week 18 matchup be the last game Evans plays for the Buccaneers?
Those are the questions the 32-year-old wide receiver is facing before the Bucs play the Panthers in an important NFC South showdown.
Evans is in the final year of a two-year contract he signed in March 2024. Evans, who will be a free agent in March, has not stated his intentions for playing in 2026, whether that be in Tampa or somewhere else.
For now, Evans is focused on beating the Panthers.
“I just approach it how I always approach it,” Evans said via ESPN’s Jenna Laine. “It’s whatever happens, happens. I’ll focus on that when the time is right. Right now, we have to win. And I’m always giving my all, and I’m always gonna go out swinging.”
Saturday is Mike Evans bobblehead day in Tampa, with the first 13,000 fans receiving a collectible of the Bucs’ wide receiver.
2025 has been an injury-riddled season for Evans. The veteran wideout has missed nine games — six because of a broken collarbone and three from a hamstring strain.
Evans has 28 receptions for 334 yards and three touchdowns. The injuries will end Evans’ streak of 1,000-yard seasons at 11. Evans is tied with Jerry Rice for the most consecutive 1,000-yard seasons.
After the broken collarbone, Evans fought to return as “fast” as he could. The rehab process made him miss football, which may influence his decision to play in 2026.
“It’s kind of a blessing in disguise,” Evans said. “I missed the game more than I thought I would. And I come back and I still got the love for the game. And who knows what it’ll do for me in the future?”
Bucs vs. Panthers Playoff Implications
Panthers. Buccaneers.
Time to handle business at home 😤 pic.twitter.com/HbFs80LQKs
— Tampa Bay Buccaneers (@Buccaneers) December 30, 2025
The Bucs (7-9) will host the Panthers (8-8) on Saturday at 4:30 p.m. ET.
The Panthers have a win-and-in situation. Carolina locks up the No. 4 seed and a playoff berth with a win over Tampa.
On the other hand, the Bucs need some help to make the postseason. First things first, the Bucs must beat the Panthers. To win the NFC South, the Bucs also need the New Orleans Saints to beat the Atlanta Falcons.
If the Bucs beat the Panthers and the Falcons beat the Saints, it creates a three-way tie in the NFC South. In that scenario, the Panthers win the NFC South because they own the tiebreaker, which is the head-to-head record between the teams.
