When it was initially reported that the San Francisco 49ers were signing wide receiver Mike Evans, the deal was labeled as a three-year contract worth up to $60.4 million. In reality, the base value is $42.5 million, with the remaining amount tied to performance-based incentives.
Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk detailed those incentives, which could push Evans' average annual salary north of $20 million if achieved.
Here's a clear breakdown of the incentives structure within Evans' contract.
2026 incentives
- Evans earns $1.5 million if the 49ers make the playoffs and he finishes in the top 10 in receptions.
- He earns $1.5 million if the 49ers make the playoffs and he finishes in the top 10 in receiving yards.
- He earns $1.5 million if the 49ers make the playoffs and he finishes in the top 10 in receiving touchdowns.
- He earns $500,000 per 49ers playoff win (up to $1.5 million total) if he plays at least 75% of regular-season and postseason snaps.
Beyond 2026
- The same incentive structure applies in 2028, based on Evans' 2027 performance.
- He can earn up to an additional $6 million in 2028 through those same benchmarks.
The structure makes it clear Evans is betting on himself, tying a significant portion of his earnings to both team success and individual production.
"In 12 seasons, Evans has finished in the top 10 in receptions once," Florio noted. "He finished in the top 10 in receiving yardage three times. He finished in the top 10 in receiving touchdowns seven times."
Notably, Evans reportedly turned down a "significantly higher" offer from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, signaling his desire for a fresh opportunity with the 49ers.
"I've always appreciated how the Niners went about their business on the football field," Evans recently said. "And I've got some guys here that have always told me great things about this organization, and I've always loved the way Kyle calls the games."
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