Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach Todd Bowles speaks speaks during the NFL Scouting Combine. Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Buccaneers' Todd Bowles gives injury update on star wideout

Originally posted on Tampa Bay Buccaneers on SI
By River Wells | Last updated Sep 22, 2025 1:10 PM ET

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are 3-0, and have won all of their games despite some bad injuries. And at the end of the team's game against the New York Jets in Week 3, it looked as if they could be getting some more bad news on that front with wideout Mike Evans.

Evans pulled on a hamstring after a route — a common problem he's faced in the past — and headed straight to the locker room. His anger on the way out of the tunnel led some to believe that the injury could be a long-term problem, but head coach Todd Bowles told reporters on Monday that, while Evans needs an MRI on Tuesday, the team believes it's a low-grade hamstring injury.

Mike Evans' initial diagnosis would be bittersweet for Buccaneers

The good news is that if Evans really is dealing with a low-grade hamstring strain, he would have avoided a potentially serious hamstring injury. Low-grade tweaks typically take about two to three weeks to heal, so if that is the case, Evans will be back before Tampa Bay's bye week.

The bad news is that the Bucs face a lot of tough competition in their upcoming stretch. The Bucs will play the defending-champion Philadelphia Eagles in Week 4 before heading on the road to play the 2-1 Seattle Seahawks in Week 5, the 3-0 San Francisco 49ers in Week 6 and then the 1-1 Detroit Lions in Week 7.

If Evans misses some of those games, the Bucs would be in trouble. Evans was out for three games last year after a hamstring injury against the Baltimore Ravens, and the Bucs had to play three games without him and lost all of them.

The Bucs have stacked wins early, so they have some breathing room going forward. But if they want to beat any of these tough upcoming opponents, doing so without Evans in the fold will make it a lot harder to pull off.