In a day and age when professional athletes seem more friendly than ever before, the well-established hatred between Mike Evans and Marshon Lattimore might be something football fans appreciate with three documented encounters following Sunday’s skirmish.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers wideout and New Orleans Saints cornerback got involved in a fight during Sunday’s Week 2 game at Caesars Superdome with Evans shoving an unsuspecting Lattimore after the play. Evans since has been dealt a one-game suspension, which he is allowed to appeal and will appeal, according to ESPN.
Evans spoke about the incident after the game, as seen Monday morning on ESPN’s “SportsCenter.”
“We in New Orleans, you know? It gets spicy sometimes,” Evans said. “We’re competitive, but today he (Lattimore) was just a little too emotional. Like, you don’t throw punches at guys on the field. I think he threw a punch at (Leonard Fournette) and pushed Tom (Brady), something like that. I just can’t let that happen to my teammates, so I just shoved him and it turned into a brawl.”
It’s fair to assume the history between the two players aided in the league’s decision. After all, it wasn’t the first melee they’ve started as the two premier players have faced off twice per season since Lattimore was drafted in the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft.
Most notably, Evans also was suspended for drilling Lattimore after the whistle during the 2017 season. It took place on a nearly identical play with Lattimore chirping at Evans’ then-quarterback Jameis Winston. Lattimore did the same with Tampa Bay’s current signal-caller Tom Brady on Sunday, after throwing a punch at running back Leonard Fournette.
And in 2020, Lattimore was fined $10,500 for unnecessary roughness on Evans, shoving the wideout in the back after being irritated on the play. At the time, it prompted Evans to rip Lattimore’s helmet off and again resulted in the two players having to be separated, though it never came to blows like the other two incidents.
It’s proved to be must-see TV any time the two players and their respective teams get together. Football fans will have to have their popcorn ready with the Saints traveling to the Buccaneers on Dec. 5 for a primetime matchup.
