After a decade of dominance in Tampa Bay, the legendary receiver's explosive San Francisco debut left his former quarterback struck by an unfamiliar sight in a new uniform.
Mike Evans wasted little time reminding the NFL that he still has plenty left in the tank.
The former Texas A&M star made his San Francisco 49ers debut in Week 1 after spending the first 12 seasons of his career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Evans immediately looked like the same receiver fans had become accustomed to seeing, catching six passes, moving the chains for six first downs and finding the end zone in San Francisco’s victory over the Los Angeles Rams.
For Evans, it was a strong introduction to his new team. For those in Tampa Bay who watched him become one of the greatest players in franchise history, however, seeing him in a different uniform was understandably strange.
That included Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield.
Mayfield was asked this week whether he watched Evans’ first game with the 49ers and what went through his mind while watching his former favorite target.
"I did," Mayfield said on The Rondé Barber Show. "A little interesting to see him in No. 5. But Mike’s Mike, converting third down and catching fade balls in the red zone."
That short response says plenty about what Evans meant to Mayfield and the Buccaneers.
Even after leaving Tampa Bay, Evans immediately returned to the role he had played for years: making important catches in critical situations. His ability to consistently win on third down and use his size and physicality near the goal line has been a defining part of his game throughout his career.
Mayfield and Evans developed a strong connection during their time together in Tampa Bay. The quarterback frequently looked Evans’ way in important situations, and the two helped the Buccaneers remain competitive throughout Mayfield’s first few years in Tampa Bay.
Now, though, they are on different teams.
Evans’ debut also served as another reminder to Texas A&M fans of what the former Aggie has accomplished at the professional level. Selected seventh overall in the 2014 NFL Draft, Evans became one of the most productive receivers of his generation while establishing himself as a franchise icon in Tampa Bay.
The move to San Francisco represents a new chapter, but his first game suggests Evans remains capable of making the same type of impact that made him so difficult to replace.
It may have been strange seeing Evans wearing No. 5 instead of his familiar Buccaneers uniform, but once the ball was in his hands, there was little that looked unfamiliar.
Mike Evans was simply being Mike Evans.
