San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy credited Mike Evans for carrying the offense in his best game yet with the franchise, which resulted in a 32-29 win over the rival Seattle Seahawks.
"He's a game-changer," Purdy said postgame Sunday, courtesy of ESPN's Nick Wagoner. "If you give him the right looks and give him a chance, he can make defenses pay. ... As a quarterback, any time I have an (opportunity) to go to him, it always feels good.
"He came in the clutch for us there at the end, the beginning of the game, the third-down conversion, the touchdown."
Evans, who's played with injured ribs since San Francisco's Week 3 win over the Arizona Cardinals, finished with seven catches on 10 targets for a season-high 113 yards and one touchdown Sunday to help the team improve to 5-0. Just over three minutes into the matchup, Purdy found Evans in the red zone for his first completed pass. On the next play, he hit the two-time All-Pro wideout again in the end zone to open the scoring.
The duo made another key connection in the fourth quarter as Evans secured a two-point conversion despite tight coverage by Seahawks cornerback Josh Jobe following a go-ahead touchdown from Brandin Cooks.
Brock Purdy 🤝 Mike Evans https://t.co/PK1NQ6k8by
— 95.7 The Game (@957thegame) October 11, 2026
"I'm on the sideline watching him do crazy stuff," 49ers linebacker Fred Warner said. "I'm like, we have Mike Evans. I can't believe it. And he's unreal.
"He really doesn't say anything. He just shows up every week and just works and then goes out there on Sunday and just dominates you."
Evans' first-quarter touchdown was the 111th of his career, tying him with Hall of Famer Tony Gonzalez for the ninth most all time. After spending 12 seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the 33-year-old signed a three-year deal with San Francisco in March reportedly worth up to $60.3 million.
"That's exactly why he's here," 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan said of Evans' Week 5 display.
