SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- Standing at a lectern following a recent offseason practice, San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Mike Evans casually answered questions in his mild-mannered way for nearly seven minutes.
Wearing a T-shirt emblazoned with the words "Humble Over Hype," Evans praised the California weather and discussed the "smooth" adjustment he has made to the Niners after spending his first 12 seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
In the midst of the Q&A, Evans did a double take when a reporter informed him of a specific type of praise from star left tackle Trent Williams.
"Mike Evans is a Hall of Fame player, and you don't find too many players that while they're still playing, you can confidently say they're going to be a Hall of Fame player," Williams said. "Having another one of them on our team, I can say that it means a lot. I mean his presence, just what he's done over the years, it's hard for a lot of kids, not just younger guys, not to fangirl over a guy like that."
Informed of Williams' comments, Evans broke into a big smile and verified the details.
"A first-ballot Hall of Famer said that about me?" Evans asked, wanting to be certain.
Though affirmation of that quote warranted a big smile from Evans, one of the overarching takeaways from San Francisco's offseason program was just how many grins the mere mention of his name elicited from teammates and coaches.
For the first time in a career marked with six Pro Bowls, two second-team All-Pro nods and an NFL record-tying 11 consecutive seasons with 1,000-plus receiving yards, Evans is wearing a uniform other than Tampa Bay's pewter and red.