Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Dirk Koetter may be on his way out, but wide receiver Mike Evans voiced his support for Koetter after the Buccaneers' season-ending loss to the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday:
WR Mike Evans says he loves playing for Coach Koetter. “He’s taken my game to new heights.” pic.twitter.com/CIQgl1rSqd
— Carmen Vitali (@CarmieV) December 30, 2018
The Buccaneers ended the season with a record of 5-11, marking their second straight five-win campaign.
In Koetter's three years as Tampa Bay's head coach, the team has gone 19-29, failing to make the playoffs. The Bucs appeared to be heading in a positive direction in Koetter's first season, as they won nine games, but since then, it has been a downward spiral.
Evans finished the season with 86 receptions for a franchise-record 1,524 yards and eight touchdowns, marking the best season of his career.
The 25-year-old, who played his collegiate football at Texas A&M University, was originally selected by the Buccaneers with the seventh overall pick of the 2014 NFL Draft.
He had a terrific rookie campaign, hauling in 68 receptions for 1,051 yards and 12 scores. He then followed that up with 74 catches, 1,206 yards and three touchdowns in 2015.
Evans' best years, though, have come under Koetter. He made his only Pro Bowl appearance in 2016, snaring 96 balls for 1,321 yards while reaching the end zone 12 times.
In 2017, Evans continued his streak of 1,000-yard seasons, ending up with 71 receptions for 1,001 yards and five touchdowns.
However, in spite of the fact that Evans' best years have come under Koetter and that he has vouched for the head coach, that probably won't save Koetter from losing his job this offseason.
The Buccaneers have not made the playoffs since 2007.
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