Tampa Bay Buccaneers receiver Mike Evans suffered a concussion and a shoulder injury as he slammed into the turf while trying to make a catch against the Detroit Lions on Monday night at Ford Field.
The 32-year-old Evans was fighting Lions cornerback Rock Ya-Sin for a long pass from Bucs quarterback Baker Mayfield when he came crashing down to the turf, where he remained nearly motionless. Slow motion replay showed Evans appearing to go limp as he rolled along the turf.
Teammates were seen praying as Evans was evaluated, helped off the field and placed on a cart. He remained alert throughout, although his eyelids drooped as he allowed his head to gently swing from side to side at one point.
But rather than Evans’ head, it was his shoulder that doctors initially examined, according to ESPN.
Even more confusing to fans was ESPN’s decision to cut to rules analyst Russell Yurk for analysis about the near catch.
‘In that situation, he starts losing control right when he hits the ground, and then he never regains control and it eventually pops out,’ Yurk said. ‘That is an incomplete pass.’
Evans laid motionless on the field for a few moments after crashing to the turf in Detroit
Teammates were seen praying as Evans was evaluated, helped to a cart and driven away
Fans watching on ESPN couldn’t help but notice the stark contrast between the images of an injured Evans and the sound of Yurk articulating the finer points of the NFL rule book.
‘Mike Evans gets hurt and ESPN decided to bring in their rules analyst to explain how that’s not a catch,’ one critic wrote on X.
‘*Mike Evans dead on the ground for 5 minutes*,’ another added. ‘NFL rules analyst: yeah fellas just to be clear he did not catch that ball.’
Several asked some version of: ‘Why is ESPN gaslighting us about Mike Evans concussion???’
Many others took issue with Monday Night Football announcers Joe Buck and Troy Aikman for neglecting to diagnose Evans with a concussion from the booth.
‘Joe Buck and Troy Aikman seeing Mike Evans clearly hit his head on the ground before going limp and losing the catch but saying his injury “could be anything” is really some wild propaganda,’ another critic added on X.
Evans did receive significant support online, including one post from Chris Nowinski, a neuroscientist and former college football player who founded the Concussion Legacy Foundation.
‘Prayers for Mike Evans after this #concussion & shoulder injury,’ wrote Nowinski, a leading activist on the issue of head trauma.
Evans struggled to walk off the field after the play, which was ruled an incompletion
He also went after Aikman and Buck’s reactions to the injury.
‘Worth listening to the broadcasters strain to avoid suggesting a possible concussion,’ he wrote. ‘Gentlemen. hamstring & shoulder injuries don’t make you lie COMPLETELY still like you are unconscious…’
Evans was ultimately ruled out with a concussion and a shoulder injury.
The injury occurred late in the second quarter in what was Evans’ first game since returning from a hamstring issue.
Fortunately for Tampa Bay, rookie receive Emeka Egbuka did return from his own hamstring issue.
