good player

San Francisco 49ers receiver Mike Evans may have earned a spot in the trash-talking hall of fame on Sunday without even trying.

Or so he says.

Late in the second quarter of the 49ers’ 32-29 victory in Seattle, Fox Sports cameras showed Evans and Seahawks cornerback Trevon Diggs jawing after a play. In one of the season’s most meme-able moments so far, Evans put his hands on Diggs’ shoulder pads and turned the two-time Pro Bowl selection around to look at his name, as if to say, “Who are you?”

Diggs, a seven-year veteran who led the league with 11 interceptions in 2021 as a member of the Dallas Cowboys, appeared to be offended and shoved Evans in the facemask.

Retired cornerback and renowned trash-talker Richard Sherman, who played for both the Seahawks and 49ers during his 11-year career, gave Evans some high praise on X.

“Mike Evans Checking to see the name on the back of the Jersey is an all-time Gif and trash talk moment that I wish I would have thought of,” Sherman wrote.

Evans’ move was very similar to one from a 2019 viral clip in which Toronto Maple Leafs star Auston Matthews checked the back of then-career minor leaguer Scott Sabourin of the Ottawa Senators during a preseason game. (Sabourin would go on to play in 74 NHL games for four teams over seven seasons.)

But Evans, a five-time Pro Bowler in his first season with San Francisco after 12 years with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, told reporters after the game that he was just trying to figure out his vocal opponent‘s identity.

“I was blocking him until the whistle, and then he said something, like I’m doing extra, something like that,” said Evans, who finished with seven catches for 113 yards and one touchdown. “I didn’t know that was him at first, because I played against him a few times and we always been cool, you know? He was a good player. I honestly didn’t know it was him, because in the helmet, it’s hard to tell sometimes.

“And we were just talking trash, and I think I like pushed him and then I was like, ‘Who are you?’ And I looked to make sure. ‘Oh, it’s f— Diggs.’”

Hmmmm, Diggs was a good player? Maybe Evans is a trash-talking master after all.

Offensive lineman Lane Johnson is a Philadelphia Eagles legend.

He has won two Super Bowls and is a six-time Pro Bowl selection.

Four games into his 14th NFL season — all spent with the team that selected him with the fourth overall pick in the 2013 draft — Johnson has decided that he’s done.

“I deeply wanted to gut it out for one more year; to take the field with my brothers for one last season,” Johnson said in a statement posted Tuesday on social media.

“But after a lot of reflection, I’ve realized that my personal and family priorities in my life have changed. Right now, it is critical that I focus on my mental health. I owe it to my teammates, coaches, the organization and the fans to have my head and heart 100 percent in the game. And right now my heart is telling me that it’s time to say goodbye to football.

“At this time, I have made the incredibly difficult decision to retire from the National Football League.”

Johnson took a three-game leave of absence during the 2021 season as he battled anxiety and depression and has said he considered retirement during the offseason after a foot injury caused him to miss the Eagles’ final eight games last year. He was a late scratch for last Sunday’s game against the Rams for personal reasons.

Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, coach Nick Sirianni said Johnson was a “phenomenal player” and much more.

“I love Lane. I’ll miss him dearly and I wish him the best,” Siranni said. “Just want him to be his best. Like I said, love him and everything that he stood for and everything he is.”

Rookie Markel Bell started in Johnson’s place on Sunday, and Sirianni suggested the third-round pick will remain in the spot vacated by Johnson.

“I’m really excited for Markel’s opportunity,” Sirianni said. “Thought under the circumstances of last week that he handled that really well. And I’m excited about the growth that he’s going to be able to have this year. I’m excited for him.”

In a statement released on Tuesday, team owner Jeffrey Lurie called Johnson “an all-time Eagle and one of the best players ever to play his position in NFL history.”

“His combination of talent, strength, athleticism and intelligence made him a truly unique player in this league, and there is no doubt in my mind that one day he will be named to the Pro Football Hall of Fame,” Lurie said.

“Beyond his on-field accomplishments, Lane has done a tremendous amount to give back to the community through his numerous charitable endeavors. The courage he has shown using his own personal experiences to advocate for mental health awareness has undoubtedly saved lives.”

Retired Eagles center Jason Kelce, who played 11 seasons with Johnson, wrote a lengthy tribute to his former teammate on X.

“For the past decade, Lane has been the best Right tackle in the NFL,” Kelce wrote. “His athleticism, technique, strength, and size, combined to make him a player few could get around. His pass set and movements looked more like an art than someone who punched people for a living. It was a pure joy to watch him play for all these years, but even more so, it was a pure joy to be his friend.”

Kelce added: “Congratulations on retirement, I loved every second of watching you play, and am proud that I got to share the field with you.”

Tight end Zach Ertz, who recently re-signed with the Eagles after playing for them from 2013 to 2021, posted several pictures of himself and Johnson on X and wrote “every step of the way.”

Left tackle Jordan Mailata told WIP-FM (94.1) in Philadelphia he was “still kinda shocked” by Johnson’s decision.

“I just think about how much I’m going to miss him going forward,” Mailata said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.