The Monday night defeat of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers by the Detroit Lions was even more agonizing. The Lions not only defeated the Bucs, but this matchup also cost Tampa Bay their star receiver, Mike Evans. Head coach Todd Bowles revealed the timeline of his return following the game; however, it’s a concerning injury, but there is some hope.

Bowles shared in his postgame press conference, ”He’ll be out mostly toward the end of the year. We’ll see what happens.” He added, ”He has a broken clavicle and he’ll be out mostly towards the end of the year. We’ll see what happens. But he broke it.”

Even though the diagnosis was a huge letdown, Bowles did not exclude Evans from returning for the rest of the season, saying the team is hopeful he can return for a playoff run.

Evans suffered the injury on MNF vs the Lions, when the receiver tried to bring in a deep ball from quarterback Baker Mayfield. He was ultimately declared out for the remainder of the game. Before the game, he was questionable-for-play because of a hamstring injury.

A Pro Bowl starter and NFL all-time most consistent receiver, Evans’ season has been disrupted by injury in 2025. In four games, he caught 14 of 28 targets for 140 yards and one touchdown. He had zero receptions on Monday night before he left the field.

As mentioned by sports medicine physician Jesse Morse, “Classic mechanism for an AC sprain, although his clavicle could have been fractured, that’s less likely since he wasn’t favoring it at all.”

NFL insider Ian Rapoport posted on X, “If Mike Evans is out a regular timeline for this injury, it puts him back in early-to-mid December. Plenty of time for the playoffs.”

Not only does the loss alter the Buccaneers’ offense, but it also concludes one of the most legendary streaks in NFL history. Evans’ injury will alter his streak of 11 years with 1,000-yard seasons, the sole player in history to do that.

Bucs’ flat performance amid Evans’ exit

Injury problems weren’t the only problem for Tampa Bay. The Bucs offense was utterly out of whack as they lost to the Lions 24-9. Having averaged 38 points against the Seahawks and 30 against the 49ers in consecutive weeks, everybody expected another gaudy performance. Instead, the offense bogged down from the first drive.

Detroit began the game missing Brian Branch, Kerby Joseph, Terrion Arnold, D.J. Reed, and Avonte Maddox, but Tampa Bay could not take advantage.

Misplays by the defense converted short gains into chunk plays, as the Lions found themselves in a position to control the tempo of the game. First-year cornerback Jacob Parrish also had a dismal night, including one costly illegal contact penalty and then sliding on St. Brown’s 27-yard touchdown coverage.

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The Bucs entered the game knowing the challenge posed by Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jahmyr Gibbs, but Tampa Bay’s defense had no answers. St. Brown caught five passes for 87 yards, while Gibbs rushed 17 times for 136 yards and two scores, adding three catches for 82 yards. What was expected to be a few big plays turned into total domination by the dynamic duo.

Although Tampa Bay came into the game 5-1 and on a roll, injuries, sloppiness, and defensive breakdowns made the loss on Monday a wake-up call. Now, with Mike Evans out and Baker Mayfield seeking to find his absolute best self, Todd Bowles and the Buccaneers are due for their season-defining stretch.