Buccaneers receiver Mike Evans elects to have surgery on broken collarbone

Rick Stroud, Tampa Bay Times on Oct 22, 2025

Published in Football

By clicking submit, I authorize Arcamax and its affiliates to: (1) use, sell, and share my information for marketing purposes, including cross-context behavioral advertising, as described in our Privacy Policy , (2) add to information that I provide with other information like interests inferred from web page views, or data lawfully obtained from data brokers, such as past purchase or location data, or publicly available data, (3) contact me or enable others to contact me by email or other means with offers for different types of goods and services, and (4) retain my information while I am engaging with marketing messages that I receive and for a reasonable amount of time thereafter. I understand I can opt out at any time through an email that I receive, or by clicking here

TAMPA, Fla. — Mike Evans has elected to have surgery on his broken right collarbone in the hopes it could help him return to the playing field more quickly, perhaps before the end of the regular season.

The Bucs Pro Bowl receiver also suffered a concussion while attempting to make a catch in the second quarter of Monday night’s 24-9 loss at Detroit.

Coach Todd Bowles provided few details Wednesday about Evans’ chances of returning this season but acknowledged the timetable could change depending on how the fracture heals.

“He’s doing well,” Bowles said. “It’s going to be touch and go. We’ll see as we get toward the end of the year. It’s definitely going to be the end of the year, and hopefully it’s before that. If we get to the playoffs and go from there, it might be in the playoffs, depending on how it heals.”

Bowles reiterated that he believes Evans could be back before the playoffs if the Bucs were to earn a spot in them. “End of the regular season,” he said.

Evans had just returned from a hamstring injury that forced him to miss three games. He had four targets against the Lions but no catches. He did draw a 23-yard pass interference penalty.

“For coaches, any one of our players. They don’t have to be a star for us to care,” Bowles said. “I mean, that’s normal. When any one of the guys go down, it’s a problem. The fact that it’s such a decorated guy, there’s more to it. But he would tell you the same way. We all feel the same way when somebody goes down.

“That’s crushing considering what he’s done for the team, what he’s done for the league, what he’s done period. So, you know, that’s hard to swallow when you see someone who works that hard, goes through all that and has those accolades go down when he just came back. That was a part of it.”

The Bucs could be without their top three receivers Sunday at New Orleans: Evans, Chris Godwin (fibula) and Jalen McMillan (neck). Fortunately, rookie Emeka Egbuka returned from a hamstring injury to play Monday. He caught four passes for 58 yards on 12 targets, including a 30-yarder.

Rookie Tez Johnson had his second touchdown reception in as many games.

“Unfortunately, from a business standpoint, you’ve got to move forward,” quarterback Baker Mayfield said. “You can’t focus on that. But from the personal side of it, it just sucks. It’s the nature of this game. Guys are going to get hurt. You don’t like to see it, but we’re going to support him in any way we can, and I know he’ll do the same.

“It’s unfortunate, especially for Mike being the guy he is, the player that he is, the leader of this organization. We’re going to have to find ways to fill the shoes once he’s not in there. It takes everybody at that point, because it’s Mike Evans.”

____