Mike Evans has yet to play a down in a San Francisco 49ers uniform, but he’s already making an impact on his teammates.
After Wednesday’s practice, reigning NFL Comeback Player of the Year winner Christian McCaffrey was praising the impact Evans has had on the roster.
“When Mike Evans is in there, it’s hard not to listen to what he’s saying and watch what he’s doing,” McCaffrey said. “To kind of hear how he sees the game.”
The news that Evans is impressing his teammates shouldn’t be a shocker, as this type of reaction has been seen by his teammates since they were in OTAs, this past June.
Tight end George Kittle told reporters during OTAs that he still couldn’t believe Evans was a member of the 49ers and said he pinches himself every day.
For the first time in his 12-year career, Evans is about to play for a new team after signing a three-year, $60.4 million contract with San Francisco this offseason.
In 2021, Evans was a key part of helping the Tampa Bay Buccaneers win their second Super Bowl in franchise history, when he led the team in touchdowns [14] while finishing second in receiving yards [1,035], behind Chris Godwin Jr. [1,103].
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Since his debut in 2014, Evans has been one of the most dominant wide receivers in football, as he’s eclipsed over 1,000 yards receiving through his first 11 seasons in the NFL, tying former 49ers Hall of Famer Jerry Rice as the only receiver to accomplish this milestone.
Last season, his streak came to an end as he dealt with multiple lingering injuries that included a left hamstring strain and a broken collarbone.
Despite the injuries, Evans showed toughness on the field and appeared in eight games last year, collecting 30 receptions for 368 yards and 3 touchdowns.
With Evans now joining the 49ers this season, he will be tasked with being the lead receiver and mentoring younger players like De’Zhaun Stribling, who San Francisco drafted in the second round of the 2026 NFL Draft.
“For a young guy to come into the receiver room and have somebody like that, as a mentor, I hope those guys take it and run with it,” McCaffrey said. “That’s a special guy, special player, and glad he’s on our team.”
