Tampa Bay Buccaneers star Mike Evans is a man of the fans. Perhaps a little too much, however.
During Sunday’s matchup against the Tennessee Titans, the four-time Pro Bowl receiver dropped a perfectly executed pass that should have resulted in a touchdown.
He was very honest as to why it happened.
“I was wide open, and I dropped it,” Evans said postgame. (h/t NFL.com) “Got a little cocky thinking about what fan I was going to give the ball to. Can’t do that.”
The media in attendance chuckled in response.
Evans was asked if he truly was thinking about the fans in that moment:
“I don’t want to talk about it,” he said. “I got what I deserved.”
This is what happened during the third quarter:
Despite the error, Evans showed off his catching abilities and strength during the Bucs’ 20-6 win.
In the third quarter, Baker Mayfield hit Evans with a 22-yard touchdown pass. Although cornerback Kristian Fulton grabbed him, Evans didn’t skip a beat to get into the end zone with ease.
That marked the 87th career TD reception for Evans, tying him with Hall of Famer Andre Reed for 16th on the all-time list.
This isn’t the first time Evans has had fans on his mind, especially in a big scenario. When Tom Brady was his quarterback, he gave the GOAT’s 600th career touchdown ball to a lucky fan without realizing the magnitude of the situation.
Don’t worry, a staffer retrieved it.
What a guy.
[NFL.com]
About Jessica Kleinschmidt
Jess is a baseball fan with Reno, Nev. roots residing in the Bay Area. She is the host of "Short and to the Point" and is also a broadcaster with the Oakland A's Radio Network. She previously worked for MLB.com and NBC Sports Bay Area.