It finally happened. The streak is dead. For over a decade, you could basically set your watch by Mike Evans hitting 1,000 yards. It didn't matter who was throwing the ball—Josh McCown, Jameis Winston, Tom Brady, or Baker Mayfield. Evans was going to get his four digits. But the 2025 season had other plans. A brutal combination of a broken collarbone, a concussion, and a nagging hamstring injury finally did what no NFL secondary could do for 11 years: they stopped the most consistent wide receiver in the history of the game.
When we look at mike evans season stats for 2025, the numbers look... weird. Honestly, seeing "368 yards" next to his name feels like a glitch in the Matrix.
The 2025 Reality Check
Let's get into the weeds of what actually went down this year. Evans didn't just fall off a cliff; his body just wouldn't let him stay on the field. He played in only 8 games. That's less than half a season. Even in those games, he wasn't always "Mike Evans."
He finished the year with 30 receptions on 65 targets. That's a catch rate that'll make any fantasy manager cry, but context is everything. According to data from the final weeks of the season, a massive chunk of those targets were "uncatchable." Baker Mayfield had a rough stretch while Evans was trying to work his way back.
Here is the raw breakdown of the 2025 campaign:
- Games Played: 8
- Receptions: 30
- Receiving Yards: 368
- Touchdowns: 3
- Yards Per Catch: 12.3
- Longest Reception: 45 yards
It’s a far cry from the 1,255 yards and 13 touchdowns he put up just two seasons ago. The most painful part? He actually looked great when he was healthy. In Week 15 against the Falcons, his first game back from the collarbone injury, he exploded for 132 yards on 6 catches. It was a "remind everyone who I am" performance. But then the efficiency dipped, and the Bucs struggled down the stretch.
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The Historic Streak Ends at Eleven
We have to talk about Jerry Rice. For a year, Evans stood shoulder-to-shoulder with the GOAT. They were tied with 11 consecutive 1,000-yard seasons. 2025 was supposed to be the year Evans took the crown for himself. 12 straight. Nobody has ever done that. Not Moss, not TO, not Megatron.
Evans admitted on the Players' Table show that he knew it was over the second he felt his collarbone snap in Week 7 against the Lions. He was at 272 yards at the time. He needed over 700 yards in just a few games to keep it alive. Even for a guy who once put up 209 yards in a single game (back in 2014 against Washington), that was a mountain too high to climb.
He’s not bitter about it, though. He told reporters he’s "cool with it." Tying Jerry Rice is a hell of a consolation prize.
Mike Evans Career Stats: The Hall of Fame Case
If you look past the 2025 hiccup, the total resume is staggering. Evans has played 12 seasons. In 11 of them, he was a 1,000-yard guy.
Career Totals Through 2025:
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- Receptions: 866
- Yards: 13,052
- Touchdowns: 108
- Games: 176
He’s currently sitting in some very rare air. He’s one of only a handful of players to ever record 100+ touchdowns and 13,000+ yards. To give you some perspective, he’s already surpassed legends like Randy Moss for the second-most 1,000-yard seasons overall (Evans has 11, Moss had 10). Only Rice has more with 14.
The "consistency" argument is his strongest path to Canton. There have been receivers with higher peaks, but nobody has stayed this good for this long from the moment they stepped onto an NFL field. He’s the only player to start a career with 11 straight 1,000-yard years. That record might never be broken.
What Went Wrong in 2025?
It wasn't just the injuries. The Bucs' offense changed. Last year, under Dave Canales, Evans was the undisputed alpha. This year, the target distribution felt more erratic.
- The Collarbone: This was the season-killer. Missing 7 games in the middle of the year is impossible to recover from statistically.
- Mayfield’s Regression: Baker wasn't as sharp. His deep ball accuracy—the bread and butter for a guy like Evans—fell off.
- Age: Look, he’s 32. In NFL years, that’s when the "standard" decline starts. He’s still got the height (6'5") and the wingspan, but he’s not blowing past corners like he used to.
The Future in Tampa Bay
This is the big question. Evans is an unrestricted free agent in March 2026. He and Lavonte David are the soul of that locker room. Head coach Todd Bowles has been vocal about letting them take their time to decide what's next.
Does he want to chase that 12th 1,000-yard season somewhere else? Or does he retire a Buccaneer?
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There’s a real chance he returns for one or two more years to try and hit that 15,000-yard mark and move further up the all-time touchdown list. He needs 20 more scores to pass Marvin Harrison for 5th all-time. That’s doable in two healthy seasons.
Practical Takeaways for Fans and Analysts
If you're tracking mike evans season stats for your own records or just to argue with friends at the bar, here is what you need to remember:
- The 1,000-yard streak is officially over at 11 seasons. He shares the record for consecutive seasons with Jerry Rice but holds the record for the most to start a career alone.
- Volume vs. Efficiency: His targets were high when he played, but the quality of those targets was the lowest of his career. Don't let the 46% catch rate fool you into thinking he "can't catch anymore."
- Touchdown Reliability: Even in a "down" year, he still managed 3 scores in limited action. He remains one of the premier red-zone threats in the league because you simply can't teach 6'5".
- Free Agency: Keep an eye on the Buccaneers' cap space. If they don't bring him back, a team like the Chiefs or Lions could use a veteran "big-bodied" target to close out their championship windows.
Mike Evans has nothing left to prove. Whether he catches another pass or not, he’s a first-ballot Hall of Famer. But knowing his competitive streak, don't be surprised if he comes back in 2026 and puts up 1,100 yards just to prove the 2025 stats were a fluke.
To stay ahead of the curve on the Buccaneers' offseason moves, monitor the team's official transaction wire starting in late February. You should also watch the "adjusted yards per target" metrics for Evans if he moves to a new team; a more accurate quarterback could see his production jump back to Pro Bowl levels instantly.