Mike Evans’ hamstring injury could prevent him from breaking NFL record

Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans has suffered another hamstring injury that is expected to sideline him for multiple games, and it may also cost him a remarkable NFL record.

Evans hurt his hamstring in the Buccaneers’ 29-27 Week 3 win over the New York Jets on Sunday. While the injury is said to be less severe than the hamstring strain he suffered last season, Evans is expected to miss at least Tampa Bay’s next three games.

Evans has gotten off to a somewhat slow start this season. He has only 140 receiving yards through three games. If he were to be held out through Week 6, it would be extremely difficult for him to get to 1,000 receiving yards in 2025.

That is significant, as Evans has had at least 1,000 yards receiving in each of his first 11 NFL seasons. That is the longest streak for any player to start a career. Evans is also tied with Hall of Fame receiver Jerry Rice for the most consecutive 1,000-yard seasons.

If Evans were to miss the next three games, he would then have a maximum of 11 games remaining to rack up 860 receiving yards. While it certainly is not impossible for a player of Evans’ caliber to average 78 or so yards per week, he would need to remain healthy to have a shot. That is far from guaranteed to happen for a 32-year-old player who has a lengthy history of hamstring ailments.

The Buccaneers are 3-0 and look like a legitimate playoff team. Their priority will be making sure Evans is fully healthy before returning, as they may need him down the stretch. That probably does not bode well for his chances of keeping the 1,000-yard streak alive.

Evans missed three games with a hamstring injury last season. He still managed to finish the year with 1,004 receiving yards, though he got a nice assist with a classy gesture from an opponent in the final game of the season.