Mike Evans missed several games while recovering from a hamstring injury, but he showed that he is back. He stunned NFL fans and analysts alike with a one-handed touchdown catch.
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The play happened late in the first quarter of Sunday's game against the Panthers. Baker Mayfield dropped back on second-and-goal from the two-yard line. He then launched the football toward the corner of the end zone.
Evans reached up with his right hand and snagged the football. He twisted and tapped both feet before falling out of the end zone. He maintained possession and capped off the drive with the score.
MIKE. EVANS. THATS THE TWEET
(via @Buccaneers)pic.twitter.com/uwiDSfCnT8
— B/R Gridiron (@brgridiron) December 1, 2024
"That is an outrageous catch from Mike Evans. Can't do anything about that," a Panthers fan posted on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter.
This touchdown, the seventh of the season for Evans, was his first since an Oct. 21 loss to the Baltimore Ravens. His lone catch in that game was good for 25 yards and six points.
Sunday's touchdown against the Panthers had far more meaning than simply showing that Evans is back to full health after his hamstring injury. It also moved him up the NFL record book.
Evans entered Sunday's game with 100 receiving touchdowns. He was tied with Hall of Fame receivers Steve Largent and Tim Brown for the ninth-most receiving touchdowns in NFL history. The score against the Panthers gave him sole possession of ninth place.
Moving up the list will only become more difficult for the veteran receiver. The next player to track down is Hall of Fame tight end Tony Gonzalez, who ended his career with 111 receiving touchdowns. After that is tight end Antonio Gates, who caught 116 touchdown passes in his career.
Jerry Rice tops the historic list with 197 touchdowns in an NFL career lasting 20 years. This is a number no receiver will likely ever match based on the combination of consistency and longevity.
While Evans may not catch Rice, he will continue to pile up Hall of Fame-worthy numbers. The five-time Pro Bowl receiver is in his age 31 season, and he plays with a quarterback who trusts him to make contested catches. This means he will have no shortage of opportunities.
