Buccaneers' Mike Evans: 'I grew up not liking Tom Brady'

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Wide receiver Mike Evans had one the best seasons of his career in 2020 with Tom Brady as his quarterback.

Evans hauled in 70 receptions for 1,006 receiving yards and a career-high 13 touchdowns for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who finished with an 11-5 record and will now be making their first Super Bowl appearance since 2002.

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Evans says that he’s now Brady’s biggest fan, but when he was growing up watching football, he wasn’t a fan-favorite of the six-time Super Bowl champion and future Hall of Fame quarterback.

"It’s great catching passes from the GOAT (Greatest of All-Time). I never thought I’d be able to get that opportunity," Evans said. "When I was a kid, I grew up not liking Tom Brady because I was a Peyton Manning fan. And now I’m the biggest Tom Brady fan. So, it’s great being able to catch balls from him."

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Evans said as soon as Brady stepped into the Buccaneers’ facility, he’s been "a great teammate and mentor to have."

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"The way he carries himself, the way he takes care of his body… I’ve never seen anything like it. I see why he’s been able to play for so long," Evans said. "The way he treats everybody in the facility. Whether it’s one of our janitors or somebody that’s cooking. He just treats everybody with respect, and he’s just such a nice guy. I’ve been learning a lot from him on-and-off the field."

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The Buccaneers will square off against the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LV on Sunday night. If Tampa Bay is going to have success, Brady and Evans will need to connect early and often.