San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Mike Evans became the talk of the town during the Week 5 game against the Seattle Seahawks. The wideout caught seven passes for 113 yards and scored a touchdown. During the game, he even humiliated a trash-talking Trevon Diggs by looking at his jersey to confirm his identity. But according to Rob Gronkowski, the 49ers wouldn’t have secured a 32-29 victory without Evans. 

“Without the signing of Mike Evans, I don’t think they win this game,” Gronkowski told Julian Edelman on the Gronk & Jules Show. “They [San Francisco 49ers] have been wanting a guy like Mike Evans, and he just hasn’t come to play. He has taken it to a level that you usually don’t see as a player ages. I’m telling you, it’s his weight loss.

“He used to look bigger than me. I used to look at him in the locker room and be like, ‘Yo Mike, you sure you’re not playing tight end this week? Like, you’re a gigantic beast.’ But he was still as athletic as he can be. If I was as freak as Mike Evans, I would still be playing.”

Evans stands 6’5” tall and weighs 231 pounds. That’s a bit lower than Gronkowski’s 6’6” and 265-pound stature. Yet, the former Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end believes that the Niners’ receiver has a better build. 

“He’s slimmed down tremendously, too, and as you age, you want to get lighter,” Gronkowski said on the talk show. “The heavier you get as a skill player, the slower you get. So he’s slimming down, he’s staying at the top of his level. Whatever he’s doing training-wise, he’s staying at the top of his game mentally and physically.” 

Gronkowski further called Evans “one of the best athletes” and “one of the best receivers” that he has ever witnessed. According to him, Evans is simply “naturally gifted.” Furthermore, Gronkowski has already shared the field with the receiver during their time together at Tampa Bay. 

Even running back Christian McCaffrey acknowledged that the six-time Pro Bowler was the “difference-maker” for the Niners. He claimed that Evans had everything that one wants in a wide receiver. 

“It’s pretty cool when you get new guys and they continue to up the standard,” McCaffrey said. 

Evans spent 12 years with the Bucs and posted 866 receptions for 13,052 yards and scored 108 touchdowns. In his debut as a Niner, Evans has already recorded three touchdowns over five games.  

By sacrificing sheer size for sustained speed and agility, Evans is writing a masterclass in NFL longevity. But now, the Niners must focus on the Week 6 game against the Washington Commanders. All eyes will be on Evans as the undefeated 49ers clash with Frankie Luvu and Co.