Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans (13) reacts after a first down during the third quarter of a NFC wild card playoff. Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

Buccaneers' Mike Evans lands high on 2025 NFL Top 100

Originally posted on Tampa Bay Buccaneers on SI
By Darius Hayes | Last updated Aug 8, 2025 12:00 PM ET

Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans has once again been placed among the NFL’s best, earning the No. 44 spot on the 2025 NFL Top 100 list.

Evans was ranked No. 26 last year, but he still remains one of the top players in the league, and so far is the highest-rated Buccaneers player.

Voted on by fellow players, the ranking still gives Evans a commanding presence across the league. In his video posted by the NFL, Evans received praise from the likes of San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle and Denver Broncos cornerback Pat Surtain II, among others.

NFL Top 100 Players of 2025:@Buccaneers WR Mike Evans ranks No. 44 on the list! @NFLFilms pic.twitter.com/oWQEks3T6z
— NFL (@NFL) August 7, 2025

A career built on consistency and greatness

Evans is the only player in NFL history with 1,000-plus receiving yards in each of his first 11 seasons, a record that stands alone in league lore. The 2024 season also marked his sixth year with 1,000-plus receiving yards and 10-plus receiving touchdowns — the fifth-most such seasons in NFL history, trailing only Pro Football Hall of Famers Jerry Rice (9), Marvin Harrison (8), Randy Moss (8) and Terrell Owens (8).

Since being drafted in the first round in 2014, Evans has been the standard of reliability for the Buccaneers' offense. Evans has played with multiple quarterbacks while maintaining elite production, making him one of the most feared receivers in football. He has also played a pivotal role in Tampa Bay’s success, including its Super Bowl victory in 2021.

Evans has been a top dog in the league for a long time, but it's also becoming clear that he's entering the twilight of his illustrious career.

Evans on retirement and the future

NFL host and reporter Kay Adams brought up the idea of retirement while speaking with Evans on August 6, and the 11-time 1,000-yard wide receiver had a bold response.

“Right now I’m just focused on this season,” Evans said on the ‘Up & Adams’ show. “This is the last year of my deal. I’m obviously an older player. But I feel great, so retirement at the end of the season is not off the table, and playing for another two to five years is not off the table either.”

Evans quickly laughed off the idea of playing another five seasons, admitting that two or three more impactful years feels more realistic. “I know I’m not playing five more years, but right now, if you ask me today, yeah, it’s easy for me to say I can play another two-three years,” he explained, noting that a lot can change during a season.

A “Buc for life”

One thing Evans did make clear is his loyalty to Tampa Bay. “I’m a Buc for life, no matter what,” he confirmed. Whether he plays two more seasons or three, his future — and his legacy — will remain tied to the Buccaneers.

For a player who has already etched his name into the NFL record books, Evans’ focus now is on adding more chapters to a career that has been nothing short of historic.