Tampa Bay Buccaneers Rule WR Mike Evans Out Following Knee Injury

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have ruled star wide receiver Mike Evans OUT for the remainder of Sunday’s game against the Atlanta Falcons.

Evans suffered an apparent left knee injury and was unable to put weight on it after the play. Bucs’ quarterback Tom Brady targeted Evans over the middle of the field in the endzone, and Evans appeared to slip running across the field with 24 seconds left in the first quarter.

Evans’ left knee appeared to be hyperextended, but the team did not say the exact injury beyond it being his knee. Evans attempted to walk off the field on his own power but quickly fell to the ground in pain.

After trainers evaluated the situation, Evans needed help as he gingerly walked to the sideline. Once off-field, Evans rode on a cart to the locker room.

The timing of the injury couldn’t have been worse. On the previous play, Evans made history with a 20-yard catch, giving him at least 1,000 receiving yards for the seven straight season. 

Evans became the first player in NFL history with 1,000 or more receiving yards in seven consecutive seasons to begin his career, passing Hall of Fame wide receiver Randy Moss, who did it in six straight seasons.

Entering the game, Evans had recorded 960 receiving yards, hauling in 13 touchdowns, which ranked fourth in the league. 

Evans’s 8,220 receiving yards since 2014 ranks third in the league, behind only Arizona’s DeAndre Hopkins and Julio Jones.

It’s unclear if Evans will be available for Tampa Bay’s wild-card playoff game next week.