Kyle Shanahan Sends Clear Message to Mike Evans Ahead of First Year With 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers didn’t just sign Mike Evans and call it a day. They brought back Dre Greenlaw, added Christian Kirk, and overhauled their defense, all while handing a three-year, $60.4 million contract to a 32-year-old Tampa Bay icon.
The message was clear: San Francisco still considers itself among the elite.
And on Thursday, head coach Kyle Shanahan backed that up, drawing a not-so-subtle comparison between Evans and Hall of Fame receivers Andre Johnson and Julio Jones.
“Mike’s a Hall of Fame receiver. His understanding of the game and what he’s done in this league, and the respect he’s earned. I haven’t had many guys like that, except for Andre Johnson and Julio [Jones], just with the career he’s had so far,” Shanahan said.
“I’ve never been around a guy that is that tall with that long of arms. The competitor he is. I’m excited to add a person like that to our offense.”
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Evans spent 12 unparalleled seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, building himself into one of the most accomplished offensive players in the NFL.
By the time he left Tampa, he was walking away as a six-time Pro Bowler, a Super Bowl champion, and holder of every major receiving record in franchise history.
Evans is the only player in NFL history to open his career with 11 consecutive 1,000-yard receiving seasons, a streak that matched Hall of Famer Jerry Rice for the longest run at any point in a career.
When he re-signed with the Bucs in 2024, he called himself a “Buc for life.”
And yet, in March 2026, Evans was gone, agreeing to terms with the 49ers just over two hours after the free agent negotiating window opened.
The Buccaneers offered Evans more money to stay, but Evans admitted afterward that “money was not the biggest factor” and he felt like San Francisco could give him “a second wind” of his career.
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Evans slots in immediately as Brock Purdy’s true No. 1 wide receiver, something the 49ers have been desperately missing.
Over the past 10 seasons, Evans’ 27 touchdowns on tight-window throws lead all receivers in the NFL by six.
That kind of red zone reliability is priceless in Shanahan’s system.
This is a team that went 12-5 in 2025 and lost in the Divisional Round. The ceiling, with Evans healthy and Nick Bosa back, is a Super Bowl.
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This story was originally published May 28, 2026 at 7:42 PM.