Bucs’ Mike Evans gets 1,000 receiving yards for 11th straight year, ties Jerry Rice

Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans went over 1,000 yards receiving for the 11th consecutive season on Sunday, tying Hall of Famer Jerry Rice’s NFL record.

Evans reached the milestone on a 9-yard reception from Baker Mayfield on the final play of their Week 18 win over the New Orleans Saints — a playoff-clinching 27-19 victory at home. Instead of taking a knee to end the game, the Bucs opted to run a play to give Evans a shot at the record, which set off a wild celebration at Raymond James Stadium.

Mike Evans surpasses 1000 receiving yards for the 11th consecutive season

The 31-year-old receiver finished with nine catches for 89 yards, boosting his season totals to 74 receptions for 1,004 yards and earning a $3 million bonus for reaching the 1,000-yard mark.

Evans holds every significant receiving record in franchise history. He’s also the team’s all-time scoring leader and on Sunday broke a tie with Hall of Famer Randy Moss for the second-most 1,000-yard receiving seasons in NFL history.

Rice, who had 1,000-plus yards receiving in 11 consecutive seasons from 1986 to 1996, is the all-time leader with 14.

Evans is the only player in league history to begin a career with 11 straight 1,000-yard seasons. He reached the milestone this season despite missing three full games and most of a fourth with a hamstring injury that sidelined him for much of a four-game losing streak that threatened to undermine Tampa Bay’s bid for a fourth straight NFC South title.

Sunday’s victory was the team’s sixth in seven games and ensured Tampa Bay will begin the playoffs with a home game.

Evans began the day needing 85 yards to reach 1,000. He had three catches for 30 yards — leaving him 5 yards shy — on a 12-play, 94-yard drive that rookie Bucky Irving finished with an 11-yard touchdown run with 1:51 remaining.

The Bucs defense helped Evans get the record, stopping New Orleans on downs with 36 seconds remaining.

Evans, the seventh overall pick in 2014 and a five-time Pro Bowler, has spent his entire NFL career with the Buccaneers, who have now won the NFC South for the fourth consecutive season. Tampa Bay will be the No. 4 seed in the NFC playoffs and host either the Detroit Lions or the Minnesota Vikings in the wild-card round.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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