Mike Evans 1,000-Yard Season Watch: Week 12

Mike Evans already owns the NFL record for most consecutive 1,000-yard seasons to start an NFL career with nine, and he’s on track to add one more on to his own record this season. With 780 yards on 48 catches entering Sunday’s game at Indianapolis against the 5-5 Colts, Evans is poised to make it 10 straight seasons with 1,000 receiving yards.

After that, he’s aiming to tie Jerry Rice’s mark of 11 straight seasons with 1,000 yards receiving at any point in a career. That’s a record that’s been on his mind for some time now.

“I think about. It’s right there, so I’m gonna definitely try to go get that,” Evans told KPRC 2 Houston’s Ari Alexander at his youth football camp over the summer. “I’m already one of one right now. I hope I can pass the great Jerry Rice and his record. Obviously, nobody will pass his records probably, like ever, total. But that 1,000-yard streak record would be cool to have.”

But first things first. Evans has to reach 1,000 yards this season, and that should happen in early December given his current pace. The Bucs’ first-round pick in 2014 is just 220 yards away from hitting 1,000 receiving yards.

Mike Evans Is On Pace For One Of His Best Seasons Ever

At age 30, Mike Evans is now averaging 78 receiving yards per game after catching just five passes for 40 yards and a touchdown in last week’s loss at San Francisco. Evans is now on pace for 1,326 yards this season. That would be the second-highest season in terms of receiving yards in his career. In 2018, Evans caught 86 passes for 1,524 yards.

If Evans, who is in a contract year with the Bucs, continues at his current pace, he should be able to eclipse 1,000 yards four games from now in Week 14 at Atlanta. Should Evans produce a 100-yard game or two between now and then, he could accomplish that feat at home against the Panthers in Week 13 in just two games.

Evans has seven touchdowns, which surpasses his total from a year ago (six). And he should have more.

Evans dropped an easy touchdown last week against Tennessee in addition to the one he caught, and he was downed just inside the 1-yard line after a big catch at Houston the previous week. Evans also had dropped TDs at Minnesota and against Philadelphia earlier in the season.

Still, he’s on pace for 11 scores this season, which would be the fifth time in his 10-year career in Tampa Bay that he’s produced double-digit TDs. Evans set the Bucs’ single-season record for TD catches as a rookie in 2014 with 12 and matched that total in 2016, which was his first Pro Bowl season.

Bucs WR Mike Evans – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Then Evans broke that single-season receiving touchdowns record in 2020 with 13, reaching double-digit scores again in helping Tampa Bay win Super Bowl LV. The next season. Evans topped his own record again, scoring 14 touchdowns in 2021.

Evans is also on pace for 81 catches this season, which would be his most since his 86-catch season in 2018. That year, Evans also produced 1,524 yards, which was his career high in terms of receiving yardage. The best weapon in Tampa Bay history had a career-high 96 catches in 2016.

While he’s having a very good year, it’s doubtful Evans eclipses his personal bets in terms of catches or receiving yards this season unless he substantially picks up the pace and produces several big days with multiple 100-yard games down the stretch. Evans has two 100-yard games this season, including a six-catch, 143-yard day versus the Titans back in Week 10.