Tampa Bay Buccaneers star wide receiver Mike Evans can add one more honor to his already illustrious resume — his own holiday. 

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced Friday that Jan. 10, 2025, is Mike Evans Day.

"Florida celebrates Mike Evans for his profound dedication to the sport of football, making countless memories for fans across the Sunshine State and across the country," DeSantis said in a statement. 

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"Mike Evans was named the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ Walter Payton Man of the Year nominee for the fourth time in his career due to his unyielding commitment to giving back to the Tampa Bay community and improving the lives of countless others through his Mike Evans Family Foundation."

DeSantis also listed the many accomplishments Evans has achieved on the field. 

"Evans’ career includes 168 games played, over 830 receptions for a total of over 12,684 yards and 105 career receiving touchdowns," a statement said.

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"Evans’ record of accomplishment has included selection to the Pro Bowl five times and inclusion as a second-team All-Pro in 2016 and 2023."

The Florida governor also noted how Evans accomplished his eleventh consecutive 1,000 yard season, which he achieved in the waning moments of the Bucs' win Sunday. 

With Evans’ eleventh consecutive 1,000-yard season, he tied the legendary Jerry Rice’s all-time record. Evans has never finished a season with fewer than 1,000 yards. 

Evans was selected with the No. 7 overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft by the Buccaneers and became an immediate star.

While Evans may be happy about getting his own day, he has a playoff matchup to think about. 

Evans’ Bucs are playing the Washington Commanders at home at 8 p.m. ET Sunday in the wild-card round. 

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It came down to the wire, but the Tampa Bay Buccaneers defeated the New Orleans Saints in a thriller, 27-19, to win the NFC South. 

Coming into this contest, the Bucs knew they had a win-and-in position, as the Atlanta Falcons needed to defeat the Carolina Panthers and hope for a Tampa Bay loss to sneak into the playoffs as the division winner. 

But Tampa Bay is heading to the playoffs as the No. 4 seed in the NFC, and they will await who they will host in the wild-card round with the loser of the Detroit Lions-Minnesota Vikings game on Sunday night finishing the seeding in the conference. 

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It might have been a jubilation at Raymond James Stadium at the final whistle, but there were a lot of nervous Bucs fans when halftime came around and the Spencer Rattler-led Saints owned a 16-6 lead. 

The Saints were playing in their first game since the senseless act of violence took place in New Orleans’ French Quarter in the wee hours of New Year’s Day, a terror attack that killed 14 and left many more injured. 

A moment of silence was held for all those in the New Orleans community before kickoff, where a true show of patriotism was captured on the Fox Sports broadcast. 

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And it was all New Orleans to start this game, as they scored on each of their first four drives – three field goals and a touchdown pass by Rattler to Dante Pettis. 

Meanwhile, Baker Mayfield and the Bucs were trying to find something, and they got exactly what they needed to begin the second half. Mayfield orchestrated a 10-play, 72-yard drive that ended in a Peyton Durham touchdown to finally get the Bucs a touchdown on the day. The 16-13 deficit was more than manageable. 

However, the Saints’ defense wasn’t helping matters, as they were pesky and forced a Mayfield interception despite the Bucs’ defense getting a three-and-out after their touchdown. 

After adding another field goal, the Saints owned a 19-13 lead heading into the fourth quarter where the Bucs entered desperation mode. Luckily for them, Mayfield wasn’t fazed. 

Early in the fourth quarter, Mayfield stepped up in a collapsing pocket and delivered an absolute strike to Jalen McMillan, who kept two feet in the front right of the end zone for a 32-yard touchdown to give the Bucs a 20-19 lead after the extra point. 

Then, the icing on the cake was a broken play that resulted in a Bucky Irving 11-yard rush for the touchdown. 

The Bucs ultimately turned the Saints over on downs on their final drive, and with just seconds left to play, Tampa Bay and its fan base were celebrating the division title and the victory. 

But what made this win even more special was what the Bucs did with their final snap of the game, as veteran receiver Mike Evans needed five catches and 85 yards to reach a $3 million incentive while also becoming the first player in NFL history to have reached 1,000 receiving yards in his first 11 seasons. 

Evans, who was stuck at eight catches for 80 yards, caught a pass for nine yards from Mayfield and he launched the ball in the air after getting tackled, knowing he just made NFL history and $3 million. 

Looking at the stat sheet, Mayfield finished 21-of-32 for 221 yards with two touchdowns and an interception, with Evans catching nine passes for 89 yards. Irving finished with 89 rushing yards on 19 carries. 

For the Saints, Rattler was 26-for-42 for 240 yards with his one touchdown pass, while tight end Juwan Johnson led the way with six catches for 80 yards. 

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The final week of the 2024 NFL regular season is here, and for some teams, there is not much to play for due to already having their spot set in the playoffs, or worse, being knocked out of playoff contention. 

However, for other teams not on either end of the spectrum, there is everything to play for, making this week a must-win situation while also looking at the rest of the league.

Looking at the current playoff picture, there is only one available playoff spot in both the AFC and NFC. In turn, four games in the AFC and three games in the NFC have playoff implications for nine total teams, whether it is simply making the playoffs or seeding within the bracket.

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Let’s dive into which teams and matchups to watch in Week 18, starting with a potential deep playoff run squad in the AFC:

Lamar Jackson and company already have their playoff spot locked in for 2024 with an 11-5 record, but the AFC North title is still on the line with the Pittsburgh Steelers (more on them in a bit) sitting just one game behind them at 10-6. 

So, with a win or tie for Baltimore, they would win the division and lock up the No. 3 seed, which is an automatic home game in the Wild Card Round. They would also lock those up with a Steelers loss. 

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Like the Ravens, the Steelers have already reached the playoffs as well, but they want that No. 3 seed if they can get it. 

However, unlike the Ravens, they will be going against a much tougher AFC North foe in the Bengals, who are also gunning for an improbable spot in the postseason. 

A slight advantage for the Steelers, though, is that the Ravens will be playing earlier in the day. So, they will know their situation when they take the field against Cincinnati. They would clinch the division title with a win and a Baltimore loss. 

On the other sideline in this game is a Bengals team that has stayed alive with wins over the last four games to give themselves an 8-8 and a shot at that final wild card slot. 

A fifth straight win is paramount if they wish to attain that spot, but they also need things to happen in their favor in order to be granted a chance at the Vince Lombardi Trophy. 

After a win, the Bengals will need the Denver Broncos to lose and the Miami Dolphins to either lose or tie. Only then can Joe Burrow and his squad of stars sneak into the playoffs. 

The Chiefs have the No. 1 seed in the AFC etched in stone with their league-best 15-1 record, so they will be resting most of their starters on Sunday in preparation for the bye week and to ensure key players like Patrick Mahomes are healthy for the Divisional Round. 

For Bo Nix and the Broncos, however, they have the same plan as they needed a couple of weeks ago: Win and in. The Broncos have lost two straight games, which has kept teams like the Bengals and Dolphins alive in the playoff hunt. 

Can this 9-7 group led by their breakout rookie quarterback and stellar defense get Denver back into the postseason for the first time since they won the Super Bowl in 2015? They will not be seeing the usual Chiefs, and they will be at home to get the job done. 

Like the Bengals, the Dolphins need some help to make the playoffs, but Cincinnati does not fall into those cards. 

Tua Tagovailoa and the Dolphins will need to beat their AFC East rival at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey and have someone watch the Broncos-Chiefs matchup because they will need a Denver loss along with their win to claim that final playoff spot. 

This is perhaps the best game that Week 18 has to offer NFL fans, because the No. 1 seed in the NFC will be determined by who wins the NFC North. 

Both the Lions and Vikings are 14-2, as the latter has ripped off a nine-game win streak and will be hosting the former on "Sunday Night Football" in a highly anticipated bout between two squads that each would love to host every single playoff game except for the Super Bowl. 

If that is not enough, the loser would be the No. 5 seed – not the No. 2-4 as those are reserved for division winners. Being the No. 5 seed means going on the road to face the winner of the NFC South (on to that in just a second).

Buckle up, football fans. Two of the best offenses squaring off in Week 18 with tons on the line. It is playoff football without the true elimination. 

Once again, the NFC South has not been pretty, but Week 18 provides some suspense as both the Bucs and Falcons will be gunning for that final playoff spot, and it will only be secured by the division title. 

Tampa Bay has the edge, though, as a win over the Carolina Panthers at home would ensure they win the division no matter what happens with the Falcons’ game against the New Orleans Saints. 

However, if the Bucs were to lose and the Falcons were to win, it would be Atlanta winning the division. 

However, they’d have the same 9-8 record, you say? Kirk Cousins might not be Atlanta’s starting quarterback anymore, but he had two of his best games of the season against Tampa Bay, which led to Falcons wins in both matchups. A clean sweep in the regular season means the Falcons own the tiebreaker over the Bucs, which would crown them NFC South champions. 

Both games will be happening at the same time, 1 p.m. ET, which will create the perfect amount of suspense for fans of both franchises. 

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NFL fans on Sunday may have wondered what the duck was going on when the bird flew onto the field at Raymond James Stadium during the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ win over the Carolina Panthers.

The duck appeared with about 5:30 to play in the third quarter. The CBS broadcast began to focus on the animal when the Buccaneers blocked the Panthers’ punt. J.J. Russell returned the ball 23 yards into the end zone for the touchdown.

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A Buccaneers staffer was able to get the duck to safety. Fans on social media went wild.

The score gave Tampa Bay a 41-14 lead. The Buccaneers won the game 48-14 after Jalen McMillan scored his second touchdown in the fourth quarter.

The duck’s appearance won over the internet and the NFL as the league made the duck its new header photo on its X account. But McMillan wasn’t exactly sold on it. He said he saw the duck and didn’t like it.

"It was one of the bad moments of the game — that duck landing on the field," he told WFLA-TV. "Ducks aren't good luck. They're weird. I hate ducks."

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McMillan didn’t exactly say why he hated ducks, but it could have something to do with his alma mater. The wide receiver attended Washington and had to go up against the Oregon Ducks in his career. The two schools are rivals.

Ducks are also considered good luck in some cultures, even if McMillan isn’t a fan. The duck appeared on the punt block, and it turned out to be good luck for Tampa Bay — not so much for Carolina.

The Buccaneers selected McMillan in the third round of the 2024 draft. The rookie has 32 catches for 387 yards and seven touchdowns this season. One more win and the Bucs are into the playoffs.

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Once again, the NFC South division title is going to come down to the wire for the four teams involved, meaning a win for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers – the leaders entering Week 17 – was crucial on Sunday. 

Baker Mayfield was up to the task. 

Mayfield delivered five touchdown passes, including two to trusty receiver Mike Evans, to lead the Bucs over the Carolina Panthers, 48-14, at Raymond James Stadium on Sunday. 

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The Bucs improved to 9-7 on the season, and they will be watching "Sunday Night Football" intently as the Atlanta Falcons, who sit behind them in the division at 8-7, are on the road against the Washington Commanders. 

Mayfield was having one of those days when it seemed no matter where the ball needed to be for his receivers, he got it there with pinpoint accuracy and strength. 

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He was 27-of-32 through the air for 359 yards with his five touchdown passes that began immediately when Evans capped the opening drive with a quick slant in the end zone for six points. Evans had eight catches for 97 yards to lead the Bucs through the air. 

But Mayfield also found rookie wideout Jalen McMillan for two second-half touchdowns, as he continues to prove in this back half of the season that his quarterback can trust him in his inaugural season. He had five catches for 51 yards with the two scores.

And finally, Payne Durham, one of the tight ends picking up the slack for the injured Cade Otton, found pay dirt with one of his two catches on the day.

No one was able to get in on the ground for the Bucs, but it was Bucky Irving leading the charge there with 113 yards on 20 carries to set the tone. 

The day also saw some special teams magic as the Bucs blocked a Panthers punt that J.J. Russell scooped up and ran back for a touchdown as part of Tampa Bay’s 21-0 second-half rout of their divisional foe. 

Bryce Young and the Panthers initially matched the Bucs’ firepower to start the game, as Adam Thielen caught a touchdown pass on their opening drive to make it a 7-7 ballgame. Thielen would get another from Young later in the game as part of his five-catch, 110-yard day. 

However, Tampa Bay’s defense turned it up in the second half, stopping any attempt from the Panthers to get back into the game. 

Overall, Young finished 15-of-28 through the air for 203 yards with his two touchdowns to Thielen. 

The Bucs head into Week 18 to face a depleted New Orleans Saints team, and they will hope the Falcons can pick up a loss somewhere in the next two weeks with Atlanta owning the season tiebreaker over them.

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