Mike Evans: Joining the 49ers, Tom Brady Stories, and Jerry Rice’s Record | EP 10

In this episode of Real Ones: The League, presented by Experian, you will see:

San Francisco 49ers All-Pro linebacker Fred Warner sits down with a true legend of the wide receiver position, **Mike Evans**. Fresh off a massive free agency signing that makes him the newest member of the 49ers, the Super Bowl 55 champion joins Fred to discuss joining "the good guys" and finishing his career strong in San Francisco.

Mike opens up about the drive behind his historic NFL journey—from being a kid dreaming of the elite to matching Jerry Rice with 11 consecutive 1,000-yard receiving seasons. He provides an exclusive look at his mindset for the 2026 season, detailing how he plans to use his "second wind" after a 2025 campaign that was limited by his first major injuries, including a broken collarbone. Evans also discusses his transition to jersey No. 5, a callback to his high school days, as he prepares to catch passes from Brock Purdy in Kyle Shanahan’s elite offense.

The conversation takes a legendary turn as Mike shares "crazy" stories about his time with Tom Brady. He reveals the stark contrast between Brady’s soft-spoken nature and the fierce, "cussing and yelling" competitor that emerges when he's fired up on the field. Mike also reflects on his time at Texas A&M with Johnny Manziel, describing the "rock star" atmosphere of their college days.

Finally, the two dive into the "real ones" of the league, featuring a live FaceTime cameo from Mike's long-time teammate and "NFL BFF" Lavonte David in the Experian Call Your BFF segment. They discuss David's Hall of Fame-worthy stats and the mutual respect shared between elite competitors, promising a 49ers culture in 2026 that is built on legendary experience and a relentless pursuit of a gold jacket.

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#NFL #MikeEvans #49ers #San Francisco49ers #TomBrady #RealOnes #FredWarner #TampaBayBuccaneers #Football 

00:00 — Tom Brady’s "Crazy" competitive side. 
01:10 — Welcome Mike Evans to the San Francisco 49ers! 
02:18 — Why Mike chose the 49ers culture. 
04:50 — The "Fire" that keeps Mike Evans elite. 
06:13 — Dealing with a broken collarbone & recovery. 
09:30 — Chasing Jerry Rice & the NFL Hall of Fame. 
11:49 — Legendary Tom Brady stories. 
14:56 — Experian Call Your BFF Segment: Calling Lavonte David. 
22:58 — The Marshon Lattimore "Fisticuffs" & top DBs. 
24:43 — Modeling his game after Calvin Johnson & Moss. 
26:28 — Playing with Johnny Manziel at Texas A&M. 
31:11 — Why Mike dropped from 240 lbs to 215 lbs.

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Transcript

Cold Open Legacy And Edge

SPEAKER_00 0:00

I've admired your game and a lot of your teammates' game and y'all's coaches, and uh it just made sense for me uh to go out there and finish my career strong in San Francisco. Hear a story with Tommy that sticks out in your mind of like Tom used to do this some crazy stuff. He's such so soft spoken. But when he gets fired up and he starts cussing and yelling and people around, he's like, Who the hell is this guy? I want my family when I'm long off here. My game has been enshrined in the Hall of Fame. Like, I want to make it clear cut so I could be in that because it's it's hard to get into elite, it's harder and harder to get in.

Welcome And Career Resume

SPEAKER_02 0:36

What's up, everybody? Welcome back to Real Ones The League, brought to you by Experian. I am your host, Fred Warner. All right, it is time. My guest today spent 12 legendary years in Tampa Bay. He's the franchise's all-time leader in receptions, yards, and touchdowns. He's a six-time Pro Bowler, a Super Bowl 55 champion, and he holds the all-time NFL record for consecutive 1,000-yard receiving seasons tied with the GOAT himself, Mr. Jerry Rice. After a recent free agency signing, he's officially a part of the good guys and is a San Francisco 49er. And my new teammate, welcome to Real Ones, Mike Evans. Appreciate you being on the show, brother. Appreciate it, Brad. Yeah, bro. Hey, man, this is a pleasure for me. I know I'm you you gonna you gonna show up to uh OTAs or you have you undecided yet right now?

SPEAKER_00 1:30

Yeah, I'll be there for some for sure.

SPEAKER_02 1:31

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Okay, well, you know, we'll we'll chop it up then. But you know, I had to get my early little chop it up with old Mike Evans to see uh, you know, just how you're feeling about being a part of the part of the good guys, like I

Joining San Francisco And Fit

SPEAKER_02 1:44

said, man. I know it's probably a hard decision for you. You were out there legend with the old Tampa Bay Buccaneers for so long, but what was what do you what was the deciding factor in you wanting to come over and play and play for us?

SPEAKER_00 1:54

You're a part of the reason. Like all the legendary uh seriously, like obviously we've known each other before. Yeah, um, but I've been I've admired your game and a lot of your teammates' game and y'all's culture and you know the stadium and the the way it feels when you play there. And uh it just made sense for me uh to go out there and finish my career strong in San Francisco.

SPEAKER_02 2:18

Yeah. I always remember uh a couple years back when we were at the Pro Bowl, I think it was that last one in Orlando, and me kind of being around you uh for the first time, man, and just chopping you up. And I'm like, man, Mike just a cool dude. He he fit right in with us, man. I'm telling you, he's going around, you know. I remember you was talking with like McCaffrey and Jose Kittle, me, both, like you know, you just you just cool cat, man. So I remember uh you know, just that having that feeling. So uh when I saw that you were gonna be uh coming over and signing with us, man, I was I was hyped. I know we're all hyped to have you. Uh all of all of the Bay Area, all the faithful are excited to see what you what you got left in the tank, man. I know you got plenty left. Um have you talked with uh like Brock Brock and them guys and about how you know what what the offense is gonna look like moving forward? What are what have those conversations been like with like Brock and the other fellas?

SPEAKER_00 3:08

I mean we talked, it was just more just you know, congrats, happy to have you. Kind of similar to what you know we're talking about right now. And I I obviously I talked to Coach Kyle, and um, we we have a great plan. Y'all y'all already had a really good offense. I just feel like I can be you know that piece to take it to the next level.

SPEAKER_02 3:26

Yeah, I mean, you've been so elite for so long, and I'm like, one of the hardest things in this game, in my opinion, is anybody could do it for one, two, even three years, right, and play at a high level for for a short amount of time. But the fact that you've been able to do it for 10 plus years, I mean, that speaks to not only you know your desire and your passion for the game, but just how well you've taken care of your body and doing the little things right year in and year out. But like, what is that fire that's still burning within you to like still continue to want to want to prove, you know, and and start a different adventure over here with us? Like, what what is that within you? Because I always ask, you know, different guests that come on the show. I mean, it's called the real ones, and obviously you one of the realest of the real. So I wanted to know like what appreciate what is it, bro, that that kind of that fire that burns within you to have done what you've done up to this point and wanting to continue.

SPEAKER_00 4:17

I've just been extremely blessed, bro. I I really have to to be in this position and to stay healthy. And I've always had that competitiveness in me, you know, since I was a kid. So that's really what it is. Like I'm trying to prove people wrong and prove myself right. Um, that's what this is about. And you know, I'm just excited to come out to San Francisco and play for such a historic franchise. I mean, I've been looking at that franchise for a long time, and obviously it was gonna be hard for me to leave Tampa, but you know, I'm super excited to come out there, and this is what I feel like I needed at this point in my career.

SPEAKER_02 4:50

Yeah, bro. I mean, I'm excited too. I mean, it's gonna be uh it's gonna be a hell of a year coming up. Uh, you know, a lot of us got a lot to prove.

Injuries Rehab And New Juice

SPEAKER_02 4:57

Uh me especially, you know, having gone down. How you feel in in Tampa last year? You feeling great?

SPEAKER_00 5:02

I was hurt for you, brother. I was hurt for you. Yeah, bro. You blew up, we had a big play, screenplay, and we were talking about it all week, bro. And they was like, all right, we just gotta block Fred. We block Fred with good. And literally, you the only one unblocked. You sticked it out and stopped us. It would have been a huge play. Right. And you stopped us, and then the I think the next drive, you had that. That's right. That's right. And you a beast, bro.

SPEAKER_02 5:24

Nah, I appreciate it, bro. That that was that's funny that you mentioned that play. Because like I I specifically have talked about going into that game, bro. I was feeling, you know, you there's some games you just feeling yourself. It's like, you know, it's gonna be your day. Yeah, and then that specific play, you know, we're we're in a you know, cover three zone. I had no business being in that play on the screen. Yeah, but I'm just kind of going back, and you know, you got a feel for how things are developing. I seen that center kind of leave early, and I just planted that foot in the ground. I just went and tried to, like you said, try and blow it up. Um, but yeah, I mean, some things, bro, you know, out of your control.

SPEAKER_00 5:58

I went down too. I mean, I got that's my first time having a big injury as well. I broke my collarbone. Like I never broke a bone ever. I just had the hamstring injuries or like a groin strain or something like a muscle strain, but never anything broken. Yeah, exactly.

SPEAKER_02 6:13

You mentioned how this is your first year, you broke your cla, your your clavicle, collarbone. Clavicle, hamstrings, groin. Like obviously it was a tough year, you know, been battling with injuries. Like, how was that kind of trying to battle through those things too? Because I mean, throughout your career, you stayed super healthy.

SPEAKER_00 6:28

Other than other than the hamstrings, like the most games I've missed in the season was three.

SPEAKER_02 6:32

Yeah, bro. So that's man, that's more than healthy, especially at receiver. You know, you you've been ultra healthy. So, like, how was that kind of battling through those things last year? It was tough.

SPEAKER_00 6:43

It was tough. I wanted to be out there with my guys. You know, I'm paid to play the game, you know, people are coming to watch me play, and then we're trying to make the playoffs and make a playoff push. And you know, I'm not there. So obviously that part hurt. But my family, my friends, the my teammates, they all made it so easy. Like I just I rehabbed really, really hard and I was able to come back. I didn't think I'd be able to play at all uh the last season. I finished playing four games and I would have been available for the playoffs. But it was unfortunate, but it kind of gave me a second win. Like I'm I'm a little bit fresher than I have been in years past this offseason. And uh I'm trying to use all the juice I got, bro.

SPEAKER_02 7:21

Exactly. That that's exactly how I feel too. I'm like, I I spent so much time on the sideline last year. I remember specifically going into last season, I was kind of like, man, you know, I d I'm I'm coming off of three years where I was all pro back to back to back. I'm I'm giving it my all. And like I'm giving it my all. So it's like it's hard to continue to try to stay at that pace, right? Every every single offseason, OTA training camp, you're grinding, you're giving it up. And then, you know, I get hurt, and then it's like I spent all the offs, all the season on the sideline. And so now I'm just like, bro, I feel like I could play right now because I I didn't have to. That was my offseason. I don't need another offseason right now, so I'm I'm ready to go. But you know, you gotta you obviously you gotta take your time and you know, run, run your race and be ready when the time comes. How I felt well, how I feel. So I'm I'm super, I'm super juiced. I can't wait, you know, to get on that nice long plane ride to Australia, play the airport. I know, man.

SPEAKER_00 8:17

That that is crazy, man. That's one thing. When I was looking at teams, I seen y'all's schedules, the most traveled team. And I don't like flying like that, man. Oh man.

SPEAKER_02 8:29

So hey, that you but that means you was really feeling our team.

SPEAKER_00 8:32

If you was No, I was, I was, man. It just made the most sense, man. And um, at the end of the day, man, when we fly there, I mean, you gotta play. You gotta play. That's it, bro.

SPEAKER_02 8:40

That that's how I feel, man. At the end of the day, bro, you you out there for one reason and one reason only. That's to get a dub. You know, that plane ride gonna be worse if you if you're flying back with a L. You see what I'm saying? So as long as you're flying back with a dub, that's all that matters.

Hall Of Fame Stakes

SPEAKER_02 8:55

Um, but kind of switching over now, talking about the legacy of Mike Evans and the fact that you you're able to be in the same conversation as a guy who people call the GOAT and Jerry Rice, right? Having that um 10 consecutive seasons of a thousand yards. What what does that feel like to you? And when you have you allowed yourself to kind of think about after your career's over and put like, you know, have you have you kind of dreamt about putting on that gold jacket and what that, you know, how that conversation is and what what what what's what goes through Mike Mike Evans' mind right now when it comes to that kind of kind of part of it, the legacy part?

SPEAKER_00 9:30

Obviously, I think about it. I mean, yeah, I know you think about it too. All players that have you know made their been in the league a long time and pro bowlers, all pro players. Like we think about legacy and and what it means. Like I want my family when I'm long gone from here to say Mike Evans has been enshrined in the NFL Hall of Fame. And you know, why not? That's a that's a great accomplishment. Like when you're a kid, you never really think like you dream of it, but you never really think that it's attainable. And for it to be so close, like I want to make it clear cut that you know I can be in that because it's it's hard to get in as elite, it's harder and harder to get in. And you know, that's a another reason why I want to join San Francisco. I feel like it can help me get to to where I want to go um post post-career.

SPEAKER_02 10:15

I feel like it's already stamped. You if you hung it up right now, you you you end, you know, especially the fact that you're not I don't I don't know. And so well I never take things for granted and never assume. So that's exactly right. But the fact that you got that ring, now that's when you start getting guys really pushing into that conversation.

Brady Year And What Made Him Great

SPEAKER_02 10:33

You know, that people don't people sleep on that ring, and so you know how was that that year of COVID, Tom Brady comes in, he's y'all quarterback, and y'all go on to win the Super Bowl. Like, what was that whole experience like like playing with Tom Brady for the first time?

SPEAKER_00 10:48

It's crazy. It went so fast. Right. I mean, that team was extremely special. Um we thought in 2021 we were gonna play y'all in the NFC Championship, but we lost to the Rams. We blew the comeback. We would have beat y'all by the way, too. I think y'all offense wasn't explosive enough. But anyway, uh yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Nah, playing with Tom is just it's helped my career so much and just to be around somebody that great. Like he's the greatest, one of the greatest athletes to ever live. And uh it was a privilege to play with him and learn so much from him. And that that year, COVID was was terrible, but the football part was was fun and it was worth it. We put in a lot of work, it was hard, but we made it happen.

SPEAKER_02 11:31

Yeah, I mean, obviously it was all worth it, man. You you came out on the right side of it at the very end. Is there a is there a story with Tom that sticks out in your mind of like Tom used to do this some crazy stuff, then or you know, he I remember this one game he turned up on it.

SPEAKER_00 11:45

Like, is there something that kind of sticks out in your mind when he when it like an experience with just his just his competitiveness because you know he's a he was the older, older guy, and to have that, and he's done everything in the sport. Correct. But how competitive he was at practice and the games, and just how he could like shift his mindset, like how he would talk and everything. He's such so soft spoken. Correct. But when he gets fired up and he starts cussing and yelling and older people around, you're like, who the hell is this guy? So that's that was the craziest part to me, and it was the coolest part to me to see that and that understand why he's so great. Yeah, bro.

SPEAKER_02 12:23

I mean, I I I haven't been able to experience the fired up part. You know, I remember we when y'all came out here, what was that, in 22? Oh, y'all blew us out. Y'all blew us out, yeah. We we sure did. We blew y'all out, so I didn't get to see time. But you know what? After the fact, I seen the clips like him on the sideline trying to like fire up the O line, trying to get y'all going. I'm like, yeah, it just wasn't gonna be enough for y'all that day. It would have been a close game. That was Brock's first start as well, I think. That's exactly right. That was Brock's first start, and we had the number we had one of the number one defenses in the league. So, you know, it wasn't.

SPEAKER_00 12:56

They looked up for y'all. The the some of the calls were kind of crazy.

SPEAKER_02 12:59

Oh, here we go. No, you know what, you're right, because there was that screen.

SPEAKER_00 13:03

There was that screen, the fake screen, and then it was that to you deep. I was wide open. It was in a fake screen. I was just wide open. Like that bust coverage. I never get it, it just gets wide open, they leave me open. Let me let me tell you something. And I scored, and we had a holding call on it. But no, like it was we didn't have to hold, but he held, but he wasn't even close by the play. And I was just from the post.

SPEAKER_02 13:27

I don't know if y'all scheme this up the the way that y'all did, but all week, of course, we trying to look for a little tidbit with Tom, okay, when he does his hand signal is this, when he does it. There was one signal where if he went like this on his arm, it was automatic now screen to the and so guess what happened?

SPEAKER_01 13:44

We all get out there, and as soon as that mother ever did this right here, we all calling it up. None of us even played the coverage anymore. We got the post safety going down, sprinted down.

SPEAKER_00 13:56

I was wondering why I was so open. Oh, bro. I was like, please get the ball, come down faster. And it came off. It took off. I was like, all right, this is gonna be a good game. Nope. Coming back. Thank you.

SPEAKER_02 14:08

Thank God they threw that flag. Because I don't, like you said, I don't know what would have happened.

SPEAKER_00 14:12

I needed that, man.

SPEAKER_02 14:13

Yeah, if that one would have gone through. You ain't need it. All right, you that you didn't have plenty. All right, you had plenty of yards of touchdowns already. So I don't know if you needed it. But uh yeah, uh, you know, our our matchups, especially at Levi's, we we didn't we didn't handle business, that's for sure.

BFF Call And Levante David Stories

SPEAKER_02 14:31

We had this segment we do on the show. We call it the experience call your BFF segment. And we asked our guests to FaceTime somebody they consider their their best friend uh to see if they answer. And uh when when they answer, you let them know, hey man, just want to let you know you my you my BFF. I don't know if you got somebody on your on your phone that that you know would answer right now to a call from old from old Mikey. Who comes to mind when you when you when you're thinking of my wife? Does that count? Is there is there somebody is there somebody on in the NFL that's gonna be like an NFL best friend. I know of course our wives are our wives are our best are our best friends, you know what I'm saying? That's I'm gonna see. Let me see. That's sweet and all, but let's let's see if I'm calling it right now.

SPEAKER_00 15:17

Who's that? I don't want to say just in case, and I don't want to it looks like he ain't gonna answer. Uh-oh. This it's Levante David. Oh, he answered!

SPEAKER_02 15:31

He answered He answered Newly retired. Five four. That's Fred. You can you can see me? What's he doing?

SPEAKER_00 15:41

He said, can you see him?

SPEAKER_02 15:44

Hey, brother, congratulations. I know you can't hear me, but you know, they tell him congrats.

SPEAKER_00 15:49

He said congratulations, yep. You heard him? He said appreciate it, bro. Yeah, man. I had to call you. He said, call my NFL BFF. You picked up first try, man. Appreciate you, OG.

SPEAKER_02 16:00

Yes, sir. Yes, sir. That's what's up, bro. That's what I'm saying. That's my OG. Like, that's my favorite teammates of all time. What's that relationship like with you and Levante, man? How long, how long did y'all play together?

SPEAKER_00 16:13

My whole time. So he was year 14, I was year 12 last year.

SPEAKER_02 16:16

Oh no, yeah, that's right.

SPEAKER_00 16:17

12 years. Wow. And we've seen the worst of the worst in Tampa, and then we see it at its peak. That's right. Uh to be there and watch it just come full circle and us to be champions one day and then take the franchise to what it is now.

SPEAKER_02 16:32

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 16:33

That was cool.

SPEAKER_02 16:34

Nah, Levante, he cool dude, man. I remember uh uh when I got hurt last year last season, and we're at the end of the game, who comes walking in, checking up on me, oh Levante David, he just man, great dude. Great dude, man. He he the he one of the best to ever do it too. He he definitely deserved to wear that that gold jacket here uh here shortly. I mean, you look at his stats too. They're crazy. Insane. Damn, I mean it's just it's just it's just uh it sucks that he had to compete with all the edge rushers when it came to like the accolades and all that stuff. But at the end of the day, that is wild. Have they have they fixed that yet? Nah, I don't think so. I think if you uh if you run a 4-3 and you an outside linebacker, you get classified as you know, in the outside linebacker category. So I don't know, but I know them stats, they talk for sure.

Around The League And Tough Matchups

SPEAKER_02 17:31

Let's see, around the league, man. Let's let's talk about around the league this past season. You you got to see up close and personal your your uh rookie wide receiver, uh how do you pronounce it? Meka? Emeka Abuka. Emeka Abuka.

SPEAKER_03 17:44

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 17:44

How how was it watching him? I know he started off pretty hot, and then kind of you know, he kind of you know simmered a little bit, but he seemed like he definitely had a special ability about him.

unknown 17:52

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 17:52

And his mindset, his work ethic, everything.

unknown 17:55

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 17:55

Came in extremely polished, professional, asked a lot of questions, worked his ass off.

SPEAKER_02 18:02

Yeah. He's gonna have a great career. Yeah, it seemed like, I mean, it seemed like guys from Ohio State, whoever coaching them boys over there, they they got the they got the recipe. Is it Brian Hartline? Yeah, that's right. Brian Hartline. I think he left, though. I think he left. I don't know who it is now. He's coaching somewhere else now. I think he'd head coach at a at a different spot, but boy, they done turned him out over at Ohio State, and they got another one in the works. Um who else was about to say Buck uh Bucky? Bucky Irving.

SPEAKER_00 18:30

Boy, he's hard to tackle, man.

SPEAKER_02 18:32

Bad boy tough as nails. Come on, I I I give respect where it's due. And uh old Bucky, man. You got the play against him right? Uh yeah, two years ago. Yeah, I missed the last two times we played, y'all. I missed both of them games. Oh, that's crazy. Yeah, you did miss that game too. Thank uh thankful for us. We we was happy you won't.

SPEAKER_00 18:48

We would have won that game because that was a close game.

SPEAKER_02 18:50

We would have probably beat y'all. And we beat y'all last year. Y'all definitely would have lost, too. Y'all definitely would have lost. That was a close game. We done beat y'all up over the years. I ain't gonna cap.

SPEAKER_00 18:58

Y'all, y'all But your your rookie year we beat y'all your rookie year, right?

SPEAKER_01 19:03

Uh that was, man, that was eternity ago.

SPEAKER_02 19:06

What was that? 2018. It was uh it was it was uh 19, my second year when we came to we came to y'all. I beat us. Yeah, we beat y'all, didn't we?

SPEAKER_00 19:15

That was the first game of the season.

SPEAKER_02 19:16

Yeah, first game of the season. And then we beat y'all like 18 years old season. It was hot. Both games. 18, 18. You were a different number. You were number 47 or something. 48? Yeah, 48, bro. Nasty. Listen, and no, no disrespect to 48, because my boy Tatum Bethun wear it now, so he, you know, he rock it, but it is. No, it just ain't a good number. It wasn't for me. That's it. It wasn't for me. That's all it was. But we I forgot I forgot we played y'all on 18. That was late in the year. What'd you wear at BYU? I wore four. Oh, four's clean. Yeah, four was clean.

SPEAKER_00 19:47

That was my high school basketball number.

SPEAKER_02 19:48

For real? Four. Yeah. Yeah, see. You know what, you know what number you're gonna wear for us yet? I'm gonna be number five. Five?

SPEAKER_00 19:55

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 19:56

That's my high school football number, my little league number, and my biggest. Okay. That's clean, boy. Oh, Mike Evans in the Cinco. Uh, but yeah, man, that's crazy. I forgot we played y'all in 18, too. Y'all beat us that game?

unknown 20:09

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 20:09

We we lost to everybody that year. So that really ain't saying much. Mullins y'all's quarterback that year? Nick Mick, Mullins, CJ Bathard. Yeah, I mean, it was a little unstable, unstable. Sure. Back in those years. Uh Kilo corners. Sherm came back. He came on to our team in uh Oh, you're right. That was his first year in 18 with us. Yeah, yeah. And then 19, y'all were real good. Y'all went to the Super Bowl that year. 19, we went to the Super Bowl. Uh 20, we didn't play each other, I don't think. Nope. But y'all went on to win the Super Bowl that year. And then ever since then, I don't think we lost to y'all except for this past season. Yeah, yeah. So it's all right. Like I said, man, you you part of the good guys now, bro. You bought it.

SPEAKER_00 20:45

I beat you in the back in the day, too, even before you got to the league. So I've been in a little bit longer. Y'all had Kaepernick. So I've been in, I've been around a while. Uh yeah. It's crazy to say, man, it happened so fast. Like you're going on your nine? Nine, bro. Wow. Crazy.

SPEAKER_02 21:02

That's what I'm saying. You almost had a decade, bro. It goes fast. It does fly. And this is what, 14 for you? 13. 13? Yep. Yeah, it do go fast, bro. I think back to them early years, and I'm like, damn, that really was like seven, seven years ago. I'd lived out two college terms, two full college. Like thinking about it that way is like that's how I think about it.

SPEAKER_00 21:27

Like you did high school and college or four.

SPEAKER_02 21:29

Mm-hmm. Yeah, no, that's wild for sure. What about uh defensive backs, man? Do you who who would you say are like the top three DBs that you face that you've been like, man, playing this to your whole career playing these?

SPEAKER_00 21:42

Well, you know how it is, man. It's like it's a game plan. It's like all right if Evans is outside the numbers, play outside leverage, you'll have help inside, or if he's inside the numbers.

SPEAKER_02 21:50

Now, okay, so that's a good point. Now, but now I'm sure there has been instances where they said, you know what? I get some one. I get a lot. We're gonna we got one on, we getting you giving you the one on one with O.

SPEAKER_00 22:00

Mike Patrick Peterson. Every time I this somebody asked me to list, I'm gonna have to put Pat B up there. Okay. Going against him like physically, like I'm a physical receiver, especially early in my career. I was extremely physical. I relied on physicality a lot more when I was younger. Now I can you know meet you by the quickness and just you know angles and knowing routes. Yes. But back then I was super physical and he was tough every time I'm in like a snail mate with him. Yeah, yeah. You know, I saw I made some plays on him, but he just was tough. Fast. Bro, and his field.

SPEAKER_02 22:34

Yeah, I was about to say in his prime, bro.

SPEAKER_00 22:35

He needs the best of the best.

unknown 22:36

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 22:37

So Pat P. And then if I when I leave people out, I feel like I'm slighting them because there's so many great corners I done played against.

SPEAKER_02 22:43

Yeah, I wouldn't, I wouldn't even think about it.

SPEAKER_00 22:45

Richard Sherman. Yeah. AJ Terrell's underrated. Uh Stingley's really good. Oh, Marshawn Lattimore. I played against so many good people.

SPEAKER_02 22:55

You'd have some battles with old Lat. One of the biggest for sure. I'm talking about battles fisti-cuff.

SPEAKER_01 23:06

Like, what was it with y'all? Y'all just had beef on the field or was it off the field? What was it?

SPEAKER_00 23:11

I don't know, man. Just every time we played the board, it was just like we just went to the biggest.

SPEAKER_01 23:16

Y'all wasn't the division. When it's two times a year, it's a good thing.

SPEAKER_00 23:19

And they were they were a really good team, but they were also kind of cocky with it. So they're gonna talk trash. Especially when they up on you. They really gonna talk crazy. Yep, yep, yep. And they had swag about him too. And and he's a tough, he's a tough player. He's physical. So that's how it happened. And then obviously I cheap shot him the one time, so they bled over to every single time we played him. But at the end of the day, man, he's had an awesome career. And we had some great battles. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 23:47

It's always the receiver DB matchup. I don't know why y'all just for some reason y'all always be getting into it. I I ain't never had that kind of that kind of uh because you got lined up across with somebody like over and over. I know, but some no like running backs, you're gonna meet a running back, you know, multiple times in a game. You feel me? Like, especially if it's you you seeing a guy twice a year, you're gonna see you're gonna keep seeing that cat multiple times in the whole, you know in the hole. You know what I'm saying? I I there there I I've gone against the case.

SPEAKER_00 24:13

But like I'm lining up face to face almost every play. Most every play is different. It is different. You know what I mean? We're grabbing on each other. Yeah, yeah. So it's that's not different.

SPEAKER_02 24:24

Is there was there was there guys, receivers that you looked up to with when you were coming up, like guys that you were like, man, I want to model my game after this guy, or what you know, is it different? Because you a different body type too, because you you what 6'5, a true 6'5. I don't know if there's a lot of receivers out there that were true 6'5 aside from like Calvin Johnson.

SPEAKER_00 24:43

Yeah, when I was in college, I had a lot of film on Andre Johnson, Calvin Johnson, Boss, Brandon Marshall, you know, all those guys.

SPEAKER_02 24:50

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 24:51

But I also watched the smaller guys. Really? Ocho Cinco, Wes Wilker, dudes that like had great footwork and understanding of route combinations and shit. So when I watched them, I used to just pick apart of everything they did, like releases, uh hand fighting down the field, just all those things.

unknown 25:09

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 25:09

And it was crazy how like fast I was able to excel like my game, just watching them. So the younger receivers out there, younger football players in high school, middle school, if you got access to film, you need to watch film, the good and the bad, not just highlights.

unknown 25:25

Right.

SPEAKER_00 25:25

Like you need to watch the whole thing, like how they practice, how the pros practice. And it just gave me a different mindset. Like, I can do this and work on things in practice and just get better and better.

SPEAKER_02 25:35

Did you feel like it took time to kind of understand that? Like, all right, I need to start using practice as a tool to like continue to mold my game and get better, or were or were from early on you felt like you you had that kind of lock in?

SPEAKER_00 25:47

It was after like high school. So high school, I'm playing basketball, football. Where I'm from, we didn't have much access to film. We ain't watching film like that. So I never even self-scouting myself other than like my hot couple highlights I had from football. So I didn't really know how I even looked. But when I get to college, you watch every practice, every play. Correct. All of it's critiqued. Yes. So it I I I learned really early on, like how to practice hard. And I registered in my freshman year at Texas AM. So that helped me a shit ton. Like me and Johnny Manzel was on the practice squad, right? Getting a lot of reps together, and then it carried over to the next two seasons, and we we had a great connection at AM.

SPEAKER_02 26:27

You and Johnny Manzel, boy, out there going crazy. Heisman, I'm sure, I'm sure there's crazy stories there, but we won't even get into all that.

SPEAKER_00 26:35

Yeah, he was a rock star. But all his shit, a lot of his shit's documented.

SPEAKER_02 26:38

Some of them right, no, you never get the full story. Yeah. But you you, you know, he got his little documentary out. Go check that out. Uh, you played with some great, you played obviously with some of the best of the best quarterbacks, Tom Brady. Uh I throw Jameis in there. You want to play with Brock Purdy here shortly, Baker Mayfield. But like, what do you think is the common denominator when it comes to high-level quarterback play, being around some of the best guys? What do you think is the common denominator which make what makes guys elite at the position?

SPEAKER_00 27:09

I would say they're consistent work ethic and they're consistent discipline. Like, because you can get bored easy with doing the same shit over and over. Like, if you do anything too many times, like it gets boring. But the way how they stay consistent and just keep working and just stay disciplined. Yeah. That's why they're at where they're at, making a shit ton of money and playing at the highest level. So that's what I've seen.

SPEAKER_02 27:33

That's right. I mean, a lot of these cats they see the highlights on Instagram and they think cats just, you know, everything is glitz and glam 24-7. But just from my experience, it is the monotony of doing the little stuff over and over again that has allowed me to get where I'm at. And I've seen it with all the all the best players I done played with, too.

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SPEAKER_02 27:53

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Flip The Script And Final Thoughts

SPEAKER_02 28:40

Alright, so lastly, we're gonna do a little flip the script where I'm gonna let you, I'm gonna let you be the host. I'm gonna let you hold the mic, man. You can you can ask me one football question, one personal question.

SPEAKER_00 28:50

Perfect. All right.

SPEAKER_02 28:51

Did you play high school basketball? I did not. I played basketball all the way up to high school. What other sport did you play in high school? I was strict strictly football. Straight football. I would not recommend that to anybody. I would say you should play good athletes. I know, bro. I wasn't, I wasn't back then, though. You feel me? I was I had to just focus in on football because I was a late bloomer, and if I didn't, I was just gonna ride the bench my whole my whole high school, bro.

SPEAKER_00 29:18

I mean, that was a personal question, but it was kind of football related to the case.

SPEAKER_02 29:21

That's okay. I mean, it goes back. All you do, you only football? I trust me, I know. It's crazy. I even thought about doing track and like doing like uh high jump and stuff, but I just I just never did. I just was always football.

SPEAKER_00 29:32

MMA? Sure you can beat some ass. I told you 6'3, 240, 63, 250. 6'3, 230.

SPEAKER_02 29:41

You 230? You that light? That's it, bro. Light, light and fighting.

SPEAKER_00 29:45

But you look big. There you go. I used to be 240 pounds earlier in my career.

SPEAKER_01 29:50

240? You wasn't no 240, Mike.

SPEAKER_00 29:53

I was 240 plus. Like some of you. I weigh 245, yeah. Hell, you was way too big. My first two years, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 30:01

How was you running at 240? I was 21.

SPEAKER_00 30:06

I was 21 years old, 22 years old, bro.

SPEAKER_02 30:09

Oh my gosh, that's crazy. All right, yeah. No, I said I sit at about 235, 230. Yeah, bro. And that that let me play fast.

SPEAKER_00 30:17

And you could play longer, bro.

SPEAKER_02 30:18

You don't need to be that heavy.

SPEAKER_00 30:20

I used to think I had to be heavy because Calvin Johnson was big.

SPEAKER_02 30:23

There you go.

SPEAKER_00 30:23

But I'm not as athletic as Calvin Johnson. And he only played nine years.

SPEAKER_02 30:27

That's what it was for me, bro. I'm coming into the draft. They're telling me, hey, my agent's telling me eight teams need to see you more at closer to 240. So I put on a bunch of weight. I ran slow at the combine. And then I get here, and they're like, what you play at at BYU? I'm like, I don't know, like 225. Okay, that's too light, but like let's get it a little middle ground. And so then my whole career, I've been sitting at 230, 235 my whole career, and they're like, we want you to play fast. So as long as you can play fast and still hold your own and deliver blows on impact, like that's that's all that matters.

SPEAKER_00 30:57

Oh yeah.

unknown 30:58

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 30:58

And you don't gotta blow people up, even though you can. You don't have to blow people up every time.

SPEAKER_02 31:02

You just tackle them. Oh no, I definitely go for the ball. Come on. That's what matters. That's what matters is uh going for the ball. You 215 now? Yeah, like the last five years. You went from 240 to 215.

unknown 31:16

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 31:17

And it helped my career. That's a big part of why I was able to play this whole thing. The heavier you are, the harder it is on your joints, your tissues, all that. Alright, football question. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 31:28

Who was your favorite football player of all time? When you were growing up, like a guy you had to watch on TV.

SPEAKER_02 31:36

My favorite football player. So back back in the day, I played a little tight end, right? And uh Antonio Gates was one of my favorite players to watch. Uh I grew up in San Diego, so I, you know, watching him, watching LT, Sean Merriman with the lights out, doing the little lights out, bro. That I think Sean Merriman, Sean Merriman and Antonio Gates. I probably put them two up there, neck and neck, on one offense, one defense. Yeah. Yours is Peyton Manning? Yep.

unknown 32:09

Okay.

SPEAKER_02 32:10

I'm from Texas.

SPEAKER_00 32:11

Right.

SPEAKER_02 32:12

You are you from Texas. You should have been a cowboy, you should have been Mr. Cowboy.

SPEAKER_00 32:15

I just I liked Emmish Smith a lot. Yeah. But I just always liked Peyton Manning, bro. He was very personable. He always had the commercials. He was always playing prime time.

unknown 32:24

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 32:25

Yeah, swagger.

unknown 32:26

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 32:26

Could go to the line, change the whole play four or five times. I just thought that was so cool.

SPEAKER_02 32:32

So yeah, he was my favorite going up. He just had a different command over the offense that I you just don't see these days. And it'll work though. Like he ain't just quarterback. Yeah, he's doing it on purpose. Yeah, because he knows exactly what the defense is doing. So he's like, okay, let me get the offense in a in a favorable play. So now we're going we're gonna hit this explosive on you, and you're gonna be sitting there thinking, like, oh my god. What like what are you doing as a DC when the quarterback changes into play when you just you know what I'm saying? You you you you did. So hey, that's funny. Oh, Peyton Manning, Indianapolis. Well, that's it, bro. Hey, that that's that's all I got for you, brother. I'm it we're excited as hell to have you. And I'll be out there next week. You be out there? Yep. OTA's phase one star next week. I'll see you then. I need help getting the career, bro. Yeah?

SPEAKER_00 33:18

We're getting one. We're getting one.

SPEAKER_02 33:20

Are you?

unknown 33:20

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 33:21

Oh, okay. You need to be money, so I know you're probably gonna you're gonna live.

SPEAKER_00 33:25

Yeah, I need something nice, man. But the end, man, I need something nice.

SPEAKER_01 33:31

I'm sure you you lived in something nice right now. You in Texas? In Texas, yeah. Yeah, yeah. Bro, Texas, you get a nice little bang from.

SPEAKER_00 33:38

Oh, I got a I got a big grip for cheap cheap.

SPEAKER_02 33:41

Yeah, come on. You're not getting that out there. I had it for like nine years, too. You're gonna have to fork up this right here, that denero. I know. You come out here. All right. It's nice though. It's nice year-round. You ain't gotta deal with that humidity that you got over there in Texas, that heat.

SPEAKER_00 33:55

And in Florida was crazy.

SPEAKER_02 33:57

Ooh, Tampa.

SPEAKER_00 33:58

Florida heat is the worst. It's worse than Texas to me. I swear.

SPEAKER_02 34:03

I swear. What's funny is it's like the people, the people from Florida, they're not even gonna argue that. They're gonna be like, no, no, he's telling you telling the truth. Like, it is what it is. You gotta do it. Individual drill.

SPEAKER_00 34:12

What? Man, after individual, I'm cooked.

SPEAKER_02 34:14

That's what I'm saying. I'm like, bro, how do you how do you even practice in training camp in Tampa, Florida? Like, I don't know how Tampa Jacksonville. Praise to God. Yeah, y'all win every year because y'all got the upper hand on everybody. Y'all, y'all, Mr. Oh, we we're gonna have the edge over everybody. We're training out here in the heat. Cali boys gonna walk in here, they ain't gonna know what hit them. All right. And then we go out there and we sock y'all in the mouth.

SPEAKER_00 34:38

And then what? Nah, because we got to practice in it. So we drain by the time we get to Sunday. And the practices in the NFL, even though they're light practices, it ain't easy.

SPEAKER_02 34:46

Still running and cutting, and everybody's over 25, 20 years old. You know what I mean? Yep. Yep. That's why Levante, he's like, I'm not doing this no more. That was good. I understand. Like, I understand. I understand.

SPEAKER_01 34:59

He thought about he thought about doing another training camp out there, but he's like, I can't do this no more.

SPEAKER_00 35:03

They take they take care of a took care of me, they take care of him.

SPEAKER_02 35:06

Yeah. That shit. It's different, bro. Hey, bro, appreciate you coming on, man. I'll see you next week. All right, big bro. Look, bro. Look, big bro. Hey, it's all good. All right, bro. It's all good, man. All right, guys. That is a wrap. Massive thanks to Mike Evans for joining the show. If you guys enjoyed the episode, check out the other conversations I've had with some of the NFL's best on Goat Farm Sports channel. Don't forget to follow Goat Farm Sports on all social media platforms for more top moments from the show.