There haven’t been many highlights coming from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in their Week 3 Monday Night Football contest against the Philadelphia Eagles. One highlight, though, came at the 12:50 mark of the fourth quarter.
Mike Evans Makes Ridiculous Off-Balance Catch
To some, WR Mike Evans catching downfield is considered a veteran move.
This one, though, was a one-hander that put Evans in an awkward position, but he still maintained possession of the ball.
This move involved him maintaining control, then his balance, and then sustaining a shoulder pad hit from S Reed Blankenship.
👀
Evans. Mike Evans. WR1️⃣ pic.twitter.com/nK0bSVRe1n
— Pro Football Network (@PFN365) September 26, 2023
Evans managed to draw the solo coverage from the safety, but he managed to keep control of the ball after taking the massive hit.
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There was another angle of the snatch — this one in slow motion, which clearly shows Evans leaving his feet in the air for four seconds after getting hit by Blankenship, only to still corral the ball.
THIS CATCH 🔥pic.twitter.com/VyNu0Nxhkn
— Fantasy Footballers (@TheFFBallers) September 26, 2023
Perhaps it was fitting that Evans saved an acrobatic leaping grab for this evening. He did pull up to Raymond James Stadium wearing the high school jersey of four-time NBA champion LeBron James.
Mike Evans reppin' Bron's HS jersey before #MNF 👑 pic.twitter.com/Rf74NXY2Ae
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) September 25, 2023
Others Sound Off on Evans for Another Reason
There’s another reason why Evans’ name was trending.
Outside of the catch, Evans was being discussed along with his future with the team he won Super Bowl 55 with. There’s a strong belief that Evans deserves a new deal.
The #Buccaneers should pay Mike Evans.
— Jeff Kerr (@JeffKerrCBS) September 26, 2023
Evans is now in the final year of his five-year, $82.5 million deal with the team he’s always played for. He’s set to become an unrestricted free agent in 2024 when he turns 31.
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But there’s another reason why his name was constantly mentioned on search engines — potential Hall of Fame candidacy.
With his production of 1,000-yard seasons every year since 2014 and four Pro Bowl appearances, there’s the discussion that Evans deserves a place in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He’s got one endorser in former NFL WR Roddy White.
“Mike Evans scored his 84th touchdown well on his way to HOF just show up every season and get thousand yard man is just the most consistent player probably ever to play wideout,” White posted on X (formerly known as Twitter).
Mike Evans scored his 84th td well on his way to HOF just show up every season and get thousand yard man is just the most consistent player probably ever to play wideout.
— Roddy White (@roddywhiteTV) September 26, 2023