Buccaneers Star WR Mike Evans Comments on Year 11: 'I'm Chasing History'

He's still got it.

Dec 31, 2023; Tampa, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans (13) runs with the ball against the New Orleans Saints during the first half at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-USA TODAY Sports / Kim Klement Neitzel-USA TODAY Sports

Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans will go down as one of the best to ever don the red and pewter when it is all said and done. Evans, who was GM Jason Licht's first-ever draft pick, has spent his entire 10-year career in Tampa Bay and has been one of the most productive and reliable receivers in the league since being drafted in the first round.

Evans, who just signed a two-year extension to stay in Tampa Bay, is a fan favorite and provides much more to his communities besides providing great entertainment on Sundays.

Now a certified veteran in the NFL, Evans is on a historic run, putting together 10 straight seasons of over 1,000 receiving yards, and he will once again be looking to extend that streak as he heads into his 11th NFL season. Following Wednesday's first day of training camp practice, Evans was asked how he feels entering his 11th year, and he looked back at how things began before stating the knowledge of the game is what has helped him to this point.

"It's a blessing, always, to start a training camp healthy and go out here and just do what I love to do and live out my dream. Obviously, it's not easy," Evans said. "It isn't easy, but I'd rather be nowhere else than here. I'm happy I get to do this. I've been seeing pictures of me, my first camp when I was 240 pounds and out of shape, but I was just a young, just hungry kid, and I still have that same hunger. I just got smarter."

READ MORE: The Best Quotes From Day 1 of Tampa Bay Buccaneers Training Camp

The young, inexperienced Evans was still able to produce, but now as an "old head" in the league it sometimes might become difficult to get that same motivation one had just starting out. Luckily for Evans, self-motivation won't be hard to come by as he pointed towards his competitive nature and chasing history as a couple of the main factors keeping him going.

"Well, I'm super competitive. Y'all know that about me. Y'all have been covering me for a long time. I'm down on myself more than anybody else could be. There's more for me to do in my career. There's more that I feel I need to do. I love to win, and I'm chasing history."

Some players play for money, some play for the love of the game, but some players, like Mike Evans, play to leave an impact. They play for the legendary status and notoriety that comes along with being one of the best to ever play the game. Mike Evans is that player. Evans goes quietly about his business, which is likely the main contributor to the fact that he is one of the most undervalued receivers in the NFL, but in return the results speak for themselves.

Evans once again finds himself in a great situation to achieve another 1,000-yard receiving season, and with QB Baker Mayfield returning for his second season, the connection between the two should only grow and net more successes for not only Evans and Mayfield but the entire team.

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