Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans had a hot start during Week 17’s fight against the Atlanta Falcons. In the first quarter, he led all receivers with three 46-yard receptions, and even made history in the NFL. While the Bucs were advancing towards the end of the first quarter, Evans became the only player in NFL history to begin his career with seven consecutive 1,000-yard seasons. On the next play, however, Evans was injured while trying to make another reception.
On the first descent on the Falcons’ 11-yard line, Tom Brady landed a fully open Evans in the end zone, but he released the ball and seemed to hyperextend his knee. The grass was damp according to Fox’s broadcast team, and it looks like it had something to do with Evans’s injury.
Check out the play here:
Evans was officially discarded by the team in the second room. What makes this injury worrying is that Evans had a hard time leaving the field. Several times, the Pro Bowl wideout rose and then had to fall again after struggling to put weight on his left leg. After being helped out of the field, he was taken to the locker room for a more detailed assessment.
Evans, who recently broke the Buccaneers’ record of a single season to receive touchdowns with 13, is a big part of that offensive attack and would certainly be missed if he couldn’t play in the first playoff game in Tampa Bay.
“Hit the wood, we don’t think there is any serious damage,” said Buccaneers coach Bruce Arians, after Tampa Bay’s 44-27 victory, according to Fox Sports Sara Walsh. “We will know more in the next 24 hours.”
The Buccaneers decided not to rest their holders this week to secure the fifth seed in the NFC. It certainly wouldn’t have been worth it if Evans had really suffered a serious injury.