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Jenna Laine
DETROIT — Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans sustained a clavicle fracture during Monday night’s 24-9 defeat against the Detroit Lions, an ailment that will keep him off the field for a significant portion of the remainder of the season, according to head coach Todd Bowles.
“He’ll probably be unavailable until close to the season’s end,” Bowles remarked regarding a possible timeline for Evans’ return. “We’ll monitor the situation.”
Evans, who also suffered a concussion, was transported to the locker room via cart in the second quarter after Lions cornerback Rock Ya-Sin tackled him following a long throw from quarterback Baker Mayfield. Evans’ head impacted the ground as he and Ya-Sin fell. Ya-Sin immediately stood up, unharmed.
Evans remained on the ground for several moments after the play, wincing but without movement while Mayfield looked on in disbelief. Tight end Cade Otton, running back Rachaad White, and left tackle Tristan Wirfs gathered around Evans as he received attention from the athletic training staff, with rookie wide receiver Emeka Egbuka kneeling nearby.
Subsequently, Bucs veteran defensive leader Lavonte David and Bowles went onto the field to assess Evans while his offensive teammates went back to the huddle. Evans required extra time and support before leaving the field.
Monday was Evans’ first game back since incurring a hamstring injury in Week 3.
The injury suggests that Evans’ streak of seasons with over 1,000 yards is likely to come to an end. He stands as the only player in league history to achieve 1,000 receiving yards in each of his initial 11 seasons, and repeating that feat in 2025 would have allowed him to surpass Jerry Rice’s record for the most consecutive 1,000-yard seasons in NFL history.
