Buccaneers WR Evans suffers fracture, out for extended time

Mike Evans Suffers Injury, Leaves Buccaneers on Alert

Tampa Bay Buccaneers receiver Mike Evans suffered a fractured clavicle during Monday night’s game against the Detroit Lions, which will sideline him for a significant portion of the season, according to coach Todd Bowles.

“He’ll be out until almost the end of the year,” Bowles said of Evans’ possible return timeline. “We’ll see what happens.”

Todd Bowles

In addition to the fracture, Evans also suffered a concussion. The injury occurred in the second quarter after a tackle by Lions cornerback Rock Ya-Sin during a deep pass from quarterback Baker Mayfield. Evans’ head hit the turf as he and Ya-Sin fell. Ya-Sin got up immediately and suffered no injuries. Evans remained on the ground for several seconds after the play, visibly affected but motionless. His teammates, including tight end Cade Otton and running back Rachaad White, came over to help him as the medical staff attended to him. Rookie receiver Emeka Egbuka also joined the assistance. The Bucs’ defensive captain, Lavonte David, and Bowles entered the field to check on Evans’ condition, while his offensive teammates returned to the meeting. Evans needed time and assistance before leaving the field.

“I was worried about him,” Otton said. “I didn’t really know what was going on at the time, so I just let them know that I’m there for him and that’s all you can do at the time… Obviously, he’s the team leader, a great teammate, a great person. So I just want him to have a speedy recovery.”

Cade Otton

Egbuka commented that Evans seemed to be unconscious when he approached him, “so I was just praying for him to wake up, I knelt down and prayed with him.” He felt encouraged by his teammate’s good spirits after the match.

“He’s someone with a lot of willpower, so it’s really difficult to break him,” Egbuka said. “So it was very unfortunate to see that, but I know he’s in the Lord’s hands.”

Emeka Egbuka

The Monday game marked Evans’ return after a hamstring injury suffered in Week 3.

“It’s never good to see one of your stars go down like that, especially when he’s returning,” Bowles said. “Everyone was excited to see him. It’s a tough blow… We have to regroup and come back.”

Todd Bowles

Evans’ injury will likely end his streak of 1,000-yard seasons. He is the only player in league history to record 1,000 receiving yards in each of his first 11 seasons. Had he achieved it again in 2025, he would have surpassed Jerry Rice’s record for consecutive 1,000-yard seasons in NFL history. Evans tied Rice last season, reaching the milestone on the last play of the Buccaneers’ regular season finale against the New Orleans Saints. Rice had given Evans his blessing this summer to break the record.

“It’s very unfortunate, but Mike is a professional,” Mayfield said. “He’ll handle it the best way he can. Being injured, not being able to play, is one thing, but I know Mike will be there and support the guys no matter what, and that’s really a testament to who he is. That’s not easy to do. Sometimes it’s hard to stand there and watch when you know you want to be out there contributing, but Mike will help our guys in any way he can.”

Baker Mayfield