NFL Officials Evaluating Bucs WR Mike Evans For Possible Suspension

Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans was ejected from the game against the New Orleans Saints on Sunday, September 18 after getting into an altercation with Saints defensive back Marshon Lattimore.

Evans came off the sideline and shoved Lattimore after words were exchanged between the Saints defensive back and some Bucs players, including quarterback Tom Brady. The shove from Evans sparked a brawl between the two teams.

Both Evans and Lattimore were ejected from the game, but now NFL officials are evaluating further, even looking at a possible suspension.

After the Bucs defeated the Saints 20-10, wide receiver Mike Evans spoke out about his ejection. “It gets spicy when you come to New Orleans,” Evans said, downplaying the altercation.

“And they’re a good team, physical team. We matched that today. I know we were like trying to get a flag called or whatever, and then it wasn’t called. All I see is Lattimore punch [Fournette] in the face or something like that and then pushed Tom. That’s all I saw," Evans continued.

https://twitter.com/NFLSTROUD/status/1571602841826910213?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1571602841826910213%7Ctwgr%5E170350a2ff1d3b6541fa7346ca5b4ed0f4ffc53b%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fheavy.com%2Fwp-admin%2Fpost.php%3Fpost%3D3881771action%3Dedit

Now, it seems as though more consequences could come for the Bucs wide receiver as National Insider for NFL Network, Ian Rapoport, reports the actions of "Mike Evans will be reviewed today by league officials for a possible suspension."

https://twitter.com/RapSheet/status/1571810346192576513

Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio also reported this, saying, “The league also will take into account how close the game came to being out of control, due to the behavior of Evans and Lattimore.”

Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back, Leonard Fournette, was close to the altercation on the field when it happened. The running back was asked about the incident after the game, but he did not elaborate on any details.

“It’s football, you know,” Fournette told reporters. “Emotions get involved. Should never have happened, but it is what it is.”

Quarterback Tom Brady also spoke out, but like Fournette, he kept it simple, saying it was “an emotional game” and said the altercation was motivation for the Bucs’ win.

This is not the first time Mike Evans and Marshon Lattimore have gotten into it on the football field. In 2017, the wide receiver blindsided Lattimore on the Buccaneers' sideline. Evans was not ejected from that game, but he did receive a one-game suspension.

Evans referenced their previous altercation during the post-game interview, saying, “It was terrible in 2017. I didn’t even get ejected [then], and that was really a cheap shot. This wasn’t. He punched my teammate in the face, and I just pushed him to the ground.”

Although Evans seems to not be taking this seriously, others point out that history repeats itself. Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio said, "The history is the key. Evans believes that the fact he wasn’t suspended for past incidents with Lattimore means he won’t be suspended now."

Here is a look at many altercations between Mike Evans and Marshon Lattimore over the years, on Youtube.

Next week, Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers will host Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers. The New Orleans Saints will be on the road, taking on the Carolina Panthers.