Buccaneers' Chris Godwin Thought Mike Evans' 49ers Exit Was AI

Tom Brady came and went, but Mike Evans has been the face of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for the past decade.

It seemed inconceivable that the star receiver would wear another uniform in his NFL career, which is why Chris Godwin thought the news that Evans, 32, had signed with the San Francisco 49ers was AI-generated slop.

“Honestly, I didn’t believe it,” Godwin, 30, said during his press conference after the Bucs’ OTA on Tuesday. “I mean, there’s a bunch of stuff on the internet that you can’t really believe, a lot of AI stuff. So, I didn’t really believe it. And then I texted [quarterback] Bake [Mayfield]. I was like, ‘Yo, is this for real?’ And he was like, ‘Sad face [emoji].'”

Godwin continued, “It’s part of the game, unfortunately. We all know what Mike has meant to this community and this organization. That’s my brother, and I wish him the best in his time in San Fran. I’m sure they know what kind of player that they’re getting.”

Evans signed a lucrative three-year contract with the 49ers at the start of unrestricted free agency in March. When news broke, Deryk Gilmore, Evans’ agent, released a lengthy statement through ESPN’s Adam Schefter. In part, the statement explained that “Tampa will always be home” for Evans and that his decision to leave “was never about money” but rather rooted in his desire to “compete for another Super Bowl.”

“In the end, this decision simply came down to Mike wanting a new challenge and a fresh opportunity while he still feels he has a great deal left to give the game,” it read.

The Buccaneers drafted Evans seventh overall in 2014. He joined Jerry Rice as the only receivers in NFL history to have 11 consecutive seasons with at least 1,000 yards receiving. His remarkable streak was snapped last season, as a broken collarbone limited him to a career-low 30 catches for 368 yards and three touchdowns in eight games.

Evans and Godwin formed a formidable receiving duo after the Buccaneers found Godwin in the third round of the 2017 NFL Draft. They won Super Bowl LV with Tom Brady at quarterback in February 2021.

Now, Godwin is the leader in the WR room, as the Baker Mayfield-led Bucs try to avenge losing seven of their last nine to finish 8-9 and miss the playoffs last season.

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This story was originally published June 2, 2026 at 8:19 PM.