Mike Evans: Son of the Gulf Coast.

By: Jeffrey Norris | January 6, 2025

On Sunday January 6, 2025, Tampa Bay Buccaneers All-Pro Wide Receiver tied Jerry Rice’s record of consecutive 1,000-yard receiving seasons to start a career at 11. In the NFL it’s uncommon to have such longevity, but especially to play at an elite level as a receiver for 11 years. If that wasn’t enough, he’s accomplished that with 7 different Quarterbacks and 4 different Head Coaches. Evans’ career thus far is a reflection of who he is on and off the field: steady, consistent, and reliable.

Galveston, Texas, the seat of Galveston County, and the home of over 53,000, is one of many cities on the U.S. Gulf Coast. As far as water goes, Galveston is surrounded on all sides, and quite literally as close as you can get to the water without touching the waves. Galveston is home to some notable places like Pleasure Pier, the Ashbel Smith Building, and the iconic Moody Gardens. This historic Texas island has also seen its fair share of history like the 1900 hurricane that claimed the lives of an estimated 6,000-12,000 residents, saw the commemoration of Juneteenth, and was briefly the national capitol of the Republic of Texas. Today, the island remains a heavy tourist area with many of its jobs and much of its local economy centering around tourism. However for Mike Evans, who was born and raised in Galveston, it wasn’t always memories of a relaxing island vacation that shaped who he is today.

Evans’ was born to Heather Kilgore and Mickey Evans in the late summer of 1993. His mother was only 14 at the time of his birth. His home life was not always easy from an early age, as his father would abuse Heather, and Mike’s sister. At age nine, as Mike slept in a nearby bedroom, his uncle, Sam shot and stabbed Mickey to death. Sam was tired of seeing his sister, Heather and her daughter continuously being beaten, so be took matters into his own hands. “I’ve grown up experiencing my family going through domestic violence,” Evans said. He was determined to not let the cycle of abuse hold him back, and this event actually set Evans on a path to change his own life, and the life of those around him. Ashli Evans, his wife speaks about how they give back through the Mike Evans Family Foundation to kids in similar situations to what they both experienced. They also encourage education to empower women and youth to take a stand against domestic violence. Ashli said that they’ve “both been through a lot of things”, but “fortunately had the right kind of support to get to where we are now.” Many former teammates and coaches of Evans’ have many stories about the time he gives to fans, other teammates, and those in his foundation. Many teammates have seen him as a “brother figure”.

In Texas, high school football is king. Whether in a large metroplex of millions or small town of a few hundred, Texas High School Football is woven into the fabric of communities all over the state. Galveston Ball High School is no different. Ball has produced 16 NFL players (including Evans), 4 MLB players, and 1 NBA player. The Ball Golden Tornados were the opposing team in the very first game the Texas A&M Aggies played on October 12, 1894, in which the Aggies won 14-6. Most college football players nowadays have been playing from a very young age to prepare themselves for the possibility of playing at the next level. Mike Evans took the road less traveled. He played basketball and ran track, but didn’t play football until his senior year. Because of this, he wasn’t recruited by many teams nationally. He had a great year however, finishing with second team District 24-4A honors. He committed to play at Texas A&M and redshirted his freshman year. 

In 2012 he burst onto the scene with the arrival of eventual Heisman trophy winner Johnny Manziel. En route to an 11-2 record with wins over No. 1 ranked Alabama in Tuscaloosa, and No. 11 Oklahoma in the Cotton Bowl. Evans finished the year with 82 receptions for 1,105 yards and 5 touchdowns. He was named to the All-SEC freshman team as voted on by the league’s coaches. In 2013, Evans set the school record with 7 receptions for 297 yards. Later that season he broke his own record with 11 receptions for 287 yards and 4 touchdowns. Evans was named a first-team All-SEC selection that year, and finished the season with 69 receptions for 1,394 yards and 12 touchdowns. Tampa Bay selected Evans with the No. 7 pick in the 2014 NFL Draft. He was staying on the Gulf Coast to play in the NFL.

Tampa Bay is on the U.S. Gulf Coast like Galveston, however it’s over 14 hours away. In his 11 years with the team, Evans has caught passes from 7 Quarterbacks: Mike Glennon (2013-2016) Josh McCown (2014) Jameis Winston (2015-2019) Ryan Fitzpatrick (2017-2018) Blaine Gabbert (2019-2022) Tom Brady (2020-2022) Baker Mayfield (2022-Present). Regardless of who is throwing him the ball, Evans has made the most of his opportunities, securing his 11th straight 1K yard season, tying Jerry Rice for most to start a career. As well as being a Super Bowl XXXVII Champion, he has also a 2x Second-Team All-Pro, as well as a 5-time Pro-Bowl selection. As of Week 18, 2025, Evans has career totals of 836 receptions, 12,684 yards, and 105 touchdowns.

Throughout his storied career and his life, Mike Evans has remained steady through it all. He did not allow himself to be distracted and disrupted in college when it would have been easy to lose sight of his goals. Mike Evans didn’t let his childhood trauma stop him from making a real impact for others in similar situations. He didn’t let the excuse of Quarterback change from Mike Glennon, to Kyle Trask, Tom Brady, and now Baker Mayfield. He has remained a staple in the Tampa Bay community and continues to make an impact as he helps lead the Buccaneers to the playoffs, and through the Mike Evans Family Foundation. He works hard to leave a legacy on the field, but just as hard to leave a legacy off the field as well.

Sources: https://baynews9.com/fl/tampa/sports/2019/07/25/bucs-receiver-evans--tragic-past-motivates-him-on-and-off-the-field

Mike Evans Family Foundation

PC: Galveston County Daily News