Wide receiver Mike Evans spent the first 12 seasons of his NFL career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, where he became a franchise icon and one of the most respected players in team history. That made his decision to leave Tampa Bay and sign with the San Francisco 49ers in free agency a surprise to many.
The addition gives quarterback Brock Purdy the most accomplished outside receiving threat of his career. The 49ers are hoping Evans' size, consistency, and red-zone ability can elevate a passing attack that already finished fifth in the NFL in passing yards last season.
For Evans, the move represented an opportunity for a fresh start, but he also wanted to join an organization with a winning culture and legitimate Super Bowl aspirations. After years of watching the 49ers from afar, Evans saw San Francisco as the ideal destination to continue his career.
One of the biggest factors in Evans' decision was head coach Kyle Shanahan, who is widely regarded as one of the NFL's premier offensive minds and play-callers.
Evans joined Bay Area radio station KNBR on Monday morning and was asked what stands out to him about Shanahan.
"I see a genius," Evans said. "He's consistently one of the best play callers in the league, been competing against him a long time, and watching and admiring the game plans he puts together. And then, just being around him this short amount of time I have been, I understand why he is where he is, and there's a reason why he has so much success, and I look forward to adding to that."
Evans has already been impressed by the way Shanahan teaches the game and communicates with his players. Although Shanahan has been limited at the start of training camp while recovering from injuries suffered in a July 14 car accident, there is optimism that he will be ready to lead the 49ers when the regular season begins.
"Just the way he can explain the game on both sides of the ball," Evans said. "When we do meetings, he can just explain the game like I've never seen a coach do before—and it's both sides of the ball. I mean, he's an offensive coach, obviously, but the way that he can explain to guys and break it down, I've never seen it."
Before joining the 49ers, Evans had already heard plenty about Shanahan's reputation for detailed film sessions and creative game planning. Now that he has experienced it firsthand, he understands why so many players and coaches around the league hold Shanahan in such high regard.
"They were telling me about it beforehand, and I was just like, 'Okay, I've been in thousands of team meetings and been around a lot of coaches,'" Evans said. "But to see it firsthand, it makes sense. And he comes from a football family. He loves football. You can tell."
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