Mike Evans will be down for the count for most of the 2025 NFL season following his latest injury in the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' matchup against the Detroit Lions on Monday night.
Evans recovered from a hamstring injury he suffered in Week 3. He missed three straight games as he was ready to go for the Week 7 showdown against the Lions. However, injuries got to him once again during the first half of the matchup.
He attempted to make a catch in the final minutes of the second quarter, taking a hard fall down to the ground. The veteran receiver was unable to get up, needing assistance from Buccaneers staff as they carted him off to the locker room and later ruled him out for the rest of the night.
Following the game, head coach Todd Bowles announced that Evans will miss most of the year due to a broken collarbone, per NFL insider Ian Rapoport.
“#Bucs WR Mike Evans suffered a broken collarbone and is out for most of the year, coach Todd Bowles announced. Absolutely brutal,” Rapoport wrote.
How Buccaneers played against Lions without Mike Evans
It's a big loss for the Buccaneers to sustain in the receiving corps with Mike Evans out for most of the year. They will have to manage without him as other pass-catchers will need to step up with the injuries hampering the offense.
Tampa Bay was unable to keep up with Detroit, going down big early as they were unable to recover. Despite their efforts to make a rally, they were unable to make enough plays down the stretch to create a comeback.
Baker Mayfield had his least effective performance of the season, struggling with his accuracy as the Lions pressured him all night. He completed 28 passes out of 50 attempts for 228 yards and a touchdown and an interception.
Rachaad White had a bigger presence in pass-catching situations as the run game didn't have rhythm. He finished with 10 of the team's 12 rushes for 38 yards while catching four passes for six yards.
As for the receivers, five made four or more receptions, including White. Cade Otton led the way with seven catches for 65 yards. Sterling Shepard came next with seven receptions for 25 yards, Tez Johnson had four catches for 58 yards and a touchdown, while Emeka Egbuka caught four passes for 58 yards.
The Buccaneers (5-2) will look to bounce back in their next matchup, being on the road. They face the New Orleans Saints (1-6) on Oct. 26 at 4:05 p.m. ET.
