Google News Tampa Bay Bucs' Mike Evans explains giving away Tom Brady's final touchdown ball
by DZEVAD MESIC | VIEW 2411
Tampa Bay Buccaneers Mike Evans admitted he wasn't aware in the moment that he was maybe tossing away the ball with which Tom Brady threw the final touchdown of his career. The Buccaneers suffered a 30-27 loss to the Los Angeles Rams at Raymond James Stadium in the divisional round.
The Buccaneers trailed 27-3 before Brady and Co. orchestrated a stunning comeback to tie the game at 27 points apiece. Brady threw a 50-yard bomb to Evans late in the fourth quarter and that turned out to be Brady's final career touchdown pass.
After scoring the touchdown, Evans immediately tossed the ball into the stabds. "You gotta understand," Evans told For The Win. "Before Tom came to the Bucs I was always throwing balls away to the fans, I showed love to the fans by giving them a souvenir.
When Tom came they started putting people in the back of the end zones and were chasing me down and saying this is a memorable ball. I wasn't very aware but in the Heat of the moment that stuff happens."
Evans didn't know Brady was going to retire
The Rams scored a walkoff field goal to escape with a 30-27 win and two weeks later Brady announced his retirement from the NFL.
"That one is unpredictable," Evans said. "I didn't know he was going to retire. I'm thinking we might have to throw another touchdown. I'm sure he doesn't care about that ball in a losing effort." Meanwhile, New England Patriots running back Brandon Bolden is not ruling out Brady making a comeback.
"I was -- I don't wanna say bummed out -- when he retired, but I was like, 'Dang,' because I wanted to see how far he could set the bar," Bolden told CBS Sports. "(But) I'd probably put the percentage of a comeback above 50, because you can just never rule out Tom Brady."