San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan is excited about the possibilities veteran wide receiver Mike Evans brings to his offense. On Thursday, Shanahan did not hide his enthusiasm as he discussed the unique traits Evans brings to the team.

"Mike's a Hall-of-Fame receiver, so his experience of the game, what he's done in this league, just the respect he's earned—that's different," Shanahan said. "I haven't had many guys like that except for [former NFL WR] Andre Johnson and [former NFL WR] Julio [Jones], just with the career he's had so far."


Although Evans is no longer in his prime, the veteran receiver continues to prove he can be a highly productive weapon. Aside from an injury-plagued 2025 season, Evans surpassed 1,000 receiving yards in each of his first 11 NFL campaigns from 2014 through 2024.

Evans' 108 career receiving touchdowns rank 10th all-time in NFL history, and another productive season could move him even higher on the league's all-time list.

The 49ers' wide receiver room underwent major offseason changes, with Jauan Jennings, Kendrick Bourne, and Skyy Moore departing. In addition, Brandon Aiyuk has likely played his final snap with San Francisco.

To address those losses, the 49ers signed Evans and Christian Kirk while also selecting De'Zhaun Stribling with their top draft pick. They will join returning wideouts Ricky Pearsall, Jacob Cowing, and Jordan Watkins.

"They all came back healthy," Shanahan said of the returning trio. "I was really excited how Jordan and Jake came back, though. You could tell they came back—it wasn't just healthy. You could tell they've been putting work in, and coming in here, in shape and stuff, has allowed them to get a lot further ahead in these five weeks than just coming here to get in shape. They've come here, to me, to play and work."


While Evans may not be a long-term solution at wide receiver, he immediately gives quarterback Brock Purdy another proven playmaker in the passing game. His rare blend of size, length, and downfield ability makes him a unique fit in Shanahan's offense.

"And just what's unique about Mike is his get-off, how he can attack down the field, and I've never been around a guy that is that tall with that long of arms, the competitor he is," Shanahan said. "So, I'm excited to have the person in our offense and the talent."

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