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Jenna Laine, ESPN writer
Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach Todd Bowles said Friday that wide receiver Mike Evans, the franchise’s all-time leading scorer, will play Sunday against the New York Giants “as long as he’s healthy and fresh.”
Evans suffered a moderate hamstring strain in Week 7 against the Baltimore Ravens and missed three games, tying the longest absence of his career.
“It hurt me to see your team fighting through really tough, close games that we could have won,” Evans said. “I wish I could [have been] out there to help them. “I’m excited for this week.”
Evans told ESPN before the Bucs’ Week 11 bye that he potentially could have tried to push for a return in Week 10 against the San Francisco 49ers, but instead, Evans rested that week and spent the bye week improving his conditioning.
Evans said he had no concerns about re-aggravating his injury, an injury he suffered while already limping with a hamstring injury in that same leg but in a different location of the muscle.
“No, this week definitely built my confidence, and last week, I did all the conditioning I had to do,” Evans said. “I feel really good. Like I said, I feel better than before the Ravens game. I was a little lame before that game. I probably should have sat out, but I always try to hang in there. This time off definitely helped me, so I’m confident.”
Bowles, however, left the door open to the possibility of pulling him if necessary, considering the Bucs have been without their No. 1, 2 and 3 receivers in Evans, Chris Godwin and rookie Jalen McMillan.
The Bucs have gone 0-4 in their last four games and will likely need to continue a similar streak to last season, where they won five of their last six games in order to make the playoffs.
“If it needs to be there, it will be there,” Bowles said, “but we’ll get it out when we need to.”
Evans said he is not concerned about field conditions at MetLife Stadium despite the field’s history with non-contact injuries.
“I like it. I like it,” Evans said. “I prefer grass to grass, but whatever the field is, we have to play on it.”
Before the season began, Evans expressed his desire to tie Jerry Rice’s NFL record of 11 consecutive 1,000-yard seasons. He is currently second all-time and would need to average 95 receiving yards per game to accomplish that feat. Evans already holds the record for most 1,000-yard receiving seasons to begin a career with 10.
“It’s there. Obviously, it’s going to be difficult,” Evans said. “It’s something that… obviously, I’m thinking about a lot of other people. I’m just thinking about winning, playing a winning ball. Things will happen. I’m trying to play and help the team win.”
