LOS ANGELES -- Mike Evans' appearance on the Jim Rome Show last Tuesday didn't go well. For about four minutes, the Buccaneers rookie put on a clinic in brevity. After the interview, Rome hammered Evans for the receiver's series of one-word responses to the host's questions. On Friday at the NFLPA Rookie Premiere, Evans told his side of the story.
Mike Evans responds to Jim Rome interview: ‘I wasn’t trying to be an idiot’
Tampa Bay’s rookie receiver offered an explanation for a rough interview on the Jim Rome Show last week.
“I tweaked my hamstring that day, and I was upset,” Evans said. “He asked me questions that I didn’t really know. I wasn’t trying to be an idiot.”
Rome’s reaction and audio of the interview made its way around the web. Evans said that he didn’t follow the story after the interview.
NFL Draft grades
“All I heard was that he said I was a boring interview. You know, you can’t make everybody happy.”
Questions ran the gamut of typical player interviews, including touching on the draft, making the leap to the NFL and, because Evans played at Texas A&M, a handful of the requisite Johnny Manziel inquiries.
Offseason filler, and most NFL coverage this time of year isn’t much more engaging than a series of brief answers. We’re trying to make news, or at least something interesting, out of football practice ... spring practice where players aren’t even wearing pads.
And with a wink to our own self-awareness, Evans also shared a few thoughts -- in lengthier answers -- on his hamstring injury and his experience so far the Buccaneers offense.
Evans injured his hamstring in a collision with cornerback Mike Jenkins during a passing drill that day, the first day of organized team activities. Jenkins had the wind knocked out him, and both left the field for the day. For Evans, it was also his first day with the veterans following rookie minicamp the previous week.
“I’m good now, 100 percent,” he said.
Most of his time off the field so far has been spent learning the playbook, adjusting to the jump from college to the NFL.
“The offense is different. It’s not what I’m used to,” Evans said. “There are a lot of formations. I’m going to have to be at a lot of spots. It’s complicated, but I’m getting it.”
See More:
