:format(webP)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tbt/4Q7NTX7BRRFX3AXVXT7JO4U274.jpg "Through his family foundation, Bucs wide receiver Mike Evans (13) recently donated $50,000 to the United Way of Galveston to help families in that coastal east Texas community affected by the fierce winter storms that pummeled the state.")
Seven weeks after helping his team secure a Lombardi Trophy, Mike Evans hoisted another shiny, celebrated memento Friday.
The veteran Bucs receiver was awarded a key to the city by his hometown of Galveston, Texas, during a small parade along the city seawall. Mayor Craig Brown declared March 26 to be Mike Evans Day in Galveston.
“This is one of the best honors that I will ever receive,” said Evans, who was born in Galveston and attended Ball High.
“The people that I care about, the city that I love honoring me like this, it means the world to me and this is definitely one of the best accomplishments that I’ve had in my lifetime.”
One of Galveston’s most prominent benefactors throughout his seven-year NFL career, Evans was the Bucs’ nominee for the NFL Walter Payton Man of the Year Award for the second consecutive season in 2020.
His family foundation recently donated $50,000 to the United Way of Galveston to help local families affected by the fierce winter storms that pummeled east Texas. He also committed $100,000 from his foundation to support United Way Suncoast and Galveston when the coronavirus began afflicting the nation.
Additionally, he participated in a 12-hour gaming event that raised more than $2.7 million for the World Health Organization.
He also again hosted his foundation’s “Catch for Christmas” event, which raises money for victims of domestic violence, provides gifts for local children and helps fund college scholarships for students.
Earlier in 2020, he virtually befriended 23-year-old cancer patient Marco Solis, offering care packages and financial assistance to the family until the young man passed away over the summer. Evans paid for Marco’s funeral, then hosted Solis’ family at the Bucs-Packers game in mid-October.
On the field, Evans caught a team-best 70 passes for 1,006 yards and 13 touchdowns in the regular season, becoming the first player in NFL history to total 1,000 receiving yards in each of his first seven seasons.
“It’s a proud moment for the island,” William Hernandez, a Galveston native and resident, told The Daily News of Galveston County. “We really needed something positive to celebrate to take our attention away from the pandemic.”
Contact Joey Knight at jknight@tampabay.com. Follow @TBTimes_Bulls.
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