NFL upholds one-game suspension for Bucs' Evans

The NFL has upheld its one-game suspension for Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans, it was announced on Wednesday.

That means Evans is now officially out for Sunday's matchup with the Green Bay Packers. The NFL originally announced the ban on Monday, one day after Evans shoved New Orleans Saints defensive back Marshon Lattimore from behind during a scrum on Sunday. 

"We are disappointed that the league upheld a suspension when there are several arguments of players doing more egregious violations including; Punching, kicking and choking players and not being suspended. In addition Evanshad already been ejected which is penalty enough but the league chose to discipline him even more this is unfortunate but we will respect the league decision," Evans' agent Deryk Gilmore said in a statement released Wednesday via CBS' Josina Anderson.

“After a play had ended, you were walking toward your sidelines. When you noticed your teammates engaged in a confrontation with Saints’ players, you ran toward that area on the field and violently threw your body into and struck an unsuspecting opponent who was part of that confrontatio," NFL vice president of football operations John Runyan wrote as part of the league's original ruling. "You knocked your opponent to the ground and a melee ensued involving players from both teams.

"Your aggressive conduct could have caused serious injury to your opponent and clearly does not reflect the high standards of sportsmanship expected of a professional.”

Evans was considered a repeat offender after being suspended in 2017 for a similar incident. That suspension also came as a result of a dead-ball scuffle with Lattimore.

Lattimore was also ejected from Sunday's game, which was tied 3-3 when the scuffle broke out. The Buccaneers went on to win it 20-10.