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Bucs lose receiver Mike Evans with hamstring injury

Evans limped into the end zone favoring his right leg at the end of a 61-yard touchdown play.
 
Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans (13) is helped after injuring his leg after a touchdown reception against the Indianapolis Colts during the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 8, 2019, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Jason Behnken)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans (13) is helped after injuring his leg after a touchdown reception against the Indianapolis Colts during the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 8, 2019, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Jason Behnken) [  | AP ]
Published Dec. 8, 2019|Updated Dec. 8, 2019

TAMPA — The Bucs have lost top receiver Mike Evans for the day after he injured his right hamstring on the end of a 61-yards touchdown catch in the first quarter Sunday against Indianapolis.

Evans will not return today, the Bucs announced. He will likely be re-evaluated following the game.

Quarterback Jameis Winston hit Evans in stride, dotting a perfect pass down the sideline to Evans for a 61-yard touchdown catch that gave the Bucs a 14-10 lead late in the first quarter.

But Evans hobbled into the end zone, favoring his right leg with an apparent hamstring injury. Evans went to the ground in the end zone holding the back of his leg, received attention from team trainers and eventually limped off the field under his own power.

The touchdown came on the first play of a drive that began at Bucs’ 39. Lining up on the outside, Evans had beaten Colts cornerback Pierre Desir on a stop and go route, but around the 15-yard line, Desir dove reaching for Evans’ feet.

Evans skipped up to avoid the tackle, but then landed lame, limping for the final yards into the end zone.

The touchdown marked Evans’ only catch of the game.

Since the start of 2016, Evans has played in 60 of the team’s 61 games. He’s missed just three games during his six-year NFL career. Evans dealt with a left quad injury that kept him out of the third preseason game, but he’s played all 12 games this season. In the Bucs’ Week 9 loss in Seattle, a Seahawks defender stepped on Evans foot at the end of a touchdown catch. Evans limped off the field, but returned to the game.

Two weeks ago, Evans recorded 1,000 receiving yards for his sixth straight season to begin his career, a feat only previously accomplished by Hall of Famer Randy Moss.

Evans and Chris Godwin give the Bucs two 1,000-yard receivers this season.

Contact Eduardo A. Encina at eencina@tampabay.com. Follow @EddieInTheYard.