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The Tampa Bay Bucs’ regular season came to an end on Sunday with a 27-19 win over the NFC South rival Saints. Wide receiver Mike Evans was the biggest winner of the contest.
The pass catcher cashed in on a $3 million incentive bonus on the last play of the day. In the process, he made history.
Evans entered the season with 10 straight 1,000-yard campaigns. That ranked one year shy of Jerry Rice for the most consecutive 1,000-yard seasons in NFL history.
He came into the contest vs. New Orleans just shy of the mark. His offense took things into their own hands on the final possession.
Tampa Bay led by a touchdown and had the ball with 30 seconds remaining in the action. By simply taking a knee, the Bucs could’ve secured victory as they march into postseason. Instead, they decided to throw.
Baker Mayfield found Mike Evans on a nine-yard dart. The catch boosted him over the 1,000-yard threshold.
MIKE EVANS. 1,000 YARDS ONCE AGAIN. pic.twitter.com/V4S7S8APUX
— NFL (@NFL) January 5, 2025
Evans entered the contest with 915 yards on the year. He gained 89 yards through the air on a team high nine receptions. The Bucs did everything in their power to get their superstar over the hump, targeting him 14 times throughout the matchup.
It worked to perfection, giving the future Hall of Famer an extra $3 million at season’s end. He already knows what he’s going to do with his bonus.
Mike Evans said he was going to the casino to celebrate another 1,000 yard receiving season 😂
(via @YahooSports) pic.twitter.com/Y8g85MFYgO
— br_betting (@br_betting) January 6, 2025
There were number of players vying for incentives in the final week of the regular season. Those included Tony Pollard, Geno Smith, and DeAndre Hopkins, as well as Evans.
Mike Evans was able to secure his payout with a little help from his teammates. Not a bad way to end the season and gear up for the NFL Playoffs.