Jan 12, 2025; Tampa, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans (13) warms up before a NFC wild card playoff against the Washington Commanders at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

Why Mike Evans Chose to Sign With the 49ers

Originally posted on San Francisco 49ers on SI
By Jose Sanchez | Last updated Mar 13, 2026 6:00 PM ET

Like a splash of cold water hitting the back of your neck, it was surprising to see the San Francisco 49ers land Mike Evans in free agency.

Evan was the top free agent wide receiver, so he was undoubtedly going to be expensive with a handful of suitors courting him. However, he wasn't expensive at all.

That allowed the 49ers to get in the mix to afford him, and the rest was history. They addressed one of their top needs and brought in one of the best receivers in the last 10 years.

It's obvious why the 49ers signed Evans. Anyone can see that, but why did Evans choose to sign with the 49ers? He answered that in his introductory press conference on Thursday.

Why Mike Evans chose the 49ers

Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

"A team that always competes, even with the injuries," said Evans via zoom to reporters. "I feel like they were one piece away and I think that I'm that piece. I look forward to coming here and proving that."

Talk about a mic drop comment. The 49ers had to have loved hearing Evans say that, and he's not wrong. He definitely can be that missing piece that helps push the 49ers forward.

At the very least, he's the missing piece to making their offense lethal again. The 49ers didn't have a dominant wide receiver last year. It was sorely missed by them.

Even George Kittle could see that. That's why he acted as the player ambassador for the 49ers in recruiting Evans, and it worked.

George Kittle the recruiter

"George was the biggest salesman. George sold it big time," Evans said with a smile on his face. "He's a big reason why I'm here, just because of the type of player and teammate he is."

Pairing up Evans with not only Kittle, but also Ricky Pearsall and Christian McCaffrey, will be riveting. It will open the offense more both in the run and pass game.

The 49ers should be ecstatic that Evans wasn't looking for a big payday in free agency. He easily could've gotten it and deserves it too. But he has his mind set on more than that.

"The money was not the biggest factor for me," Evans said. "It was just football. And something that I can be excited about. I'm super excited.

"Every time I come to Levi's Stadium, and I see how the crowd is, I see the energy that they bring, the rich history of the San Francisco 49ers just excites me. I feel like it's given me a second wind in my career, and that's why I chose to come here."

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This article first appeared on San Francisco 49ers on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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