You can make an easy argument that all athletes -especially NFL players- are the most competitive people in the world. This is especially true for Bucs receiver Mike Evans.
Evans is entering his eighth year in the league. He’s been in the thick of it ever since his rookie year. Sometimes that competitive edge fades as players tack years on to their careers, but that’s not the case for Evans.
And that’s because he has a whole new reason to compete entering 2021: defending the Bucs’ Super Bowl title.
It’s not just about getting another ring, however. It’s about the whole experience. Last year’s championship gave Evans the opportunity to celebrate with his teammates, family, and friends. He celebrated both in Tampa Bay and in his hometown of Galveston, Texas. For him, it was an experience like no other. Therefore, he is willing to do whatever it takes to make that happen again.
“That was a very, very special moment, getting the key to my city in Galveston,” Evans told reporters Thursday. “Having a parade, seeing all the people I grew up with or people that have supported me since I was a kid playing little league football. It was a very special moment for me, my family [and] hopefully we will be able to do that again.”
Those experiences are what give him the extra motivation to go out and continue to be one of the best receivers in the game.
“It’s definitely extra motivation,” Evans said. “That boat parade was unbelievable. It was one of the best things I’ve ever seen. And then to follow it up and have the parade in my city, I mean, that’s what I’m shooting for now. That’s why when I’m out there tired, I’m just thinking about that boat parade or that parade in my city and trying to get that again.”
Both the Bucs and Evans have a lot to prove in 2021. But based off what he told reporters Thursday, there’s plenty of motivation to continue to show why they are the defending Super Bowl champs.
And that is always a good thing.
