
After playing only for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from the 2014 NFL Draft through this past season, veteran wide receiver Mike Evans signed a three-year contract to join the San Francisco 49ers early in free agency.
During Tuesday's edition of NFL Network's "The Insiders" program, 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey revealed his reaction to finding out that he'd be sharing a locker room with Evans this year.
"I was so fired up, man," McCaffrey told league insider Ian Rapoport, per David Bonilla of 49ers Webzone. "He's somebody that, if you're a fan of football, you've watched his entire career, and it's hard not to like the guy. He's a first-ballot Hall of Famer. He's somebody that, in my opinion, has never gotten enough credit, and I think he plays that way. He plays with a chip on his shoulder."
Whether or not Evans will receive the exact Hall of Fame honor mentioned by McCaffrey shall be seen, but there's no question that the 32-year-old established himself as one of the league's most consistent offensive weapons during his prime. Specifically, Evans' streak of recording at least 1,000 receiving yards in a campaign ended at 11 seasons because he suffered a hamstring injury and then a broken collarbone this past fall.
Star tight end George Kittle sold the 49ers "big time" to Evans, who seemingly believes he has a better shot at earning a second Super Bowl ring with the 49ers than with the Buccaneers. McCaffrey is hyped to see how Evans can and will make life easier for San Francisco quarterback Brock Purdy.
"He's one of the best go-ball runners in the history of the NFL," McCaffrey added about Evans. "He blocks his butt off, he's mean, and he's the perfect fit for our offense. I've just been such a fan of his from afar, and the way he plays football. And so now, to get to play with him, to pick his brain on a lot of stuff, I think that's what I'm excited about — is to learn from him and kind of see what stuff he can bring to our team that maybe we need. And to have a guy like that who's experienced the NFL at every level is super exciting."
If nothing else, Evans won't have to wonder how his new teammates feel about him during the early days of springtime workouts.
More must-reads:
+
Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!