​Wide receiver Mike Evans, who signed a three-year deal with the 49ers, spent his first 12 NFL seasons with the Buccaneers.  (Jeff Chiu/Associated Press)
Mike Evans’ white noise comes with dark magic. Every night, Evans falls asleep to the sounds of the Harry Potter movies playing on the television. The eight-film saga has little tranquility: Orchestral crescendos, wizarding duels, mythic creature roars and eerie lulls that would keep any regular viewer awake at night. But for Evans, watching Harry Potter battle Lord Voldemort helps the San Francisco 49ers wide receiver rest. Obsessed with the saga since his second grade teacher read the books to his class about 23 years ago, Evans has watched the films “at least 1,000 times,” he said. “It comforts me,” Evans said. “It just puts me in a calm state.”It’s not just before bed that Evans incorporates Harry Potter into his life. On his calf is a tattoo of the main character with his best friends, Ron and Hermione. Near his elbow is one of the Deathly Hallows, a symbol key to the series finale. Evans’ 2016 wedding to his wife, Ashli, featured a five-tier cake decorated with all four Hogwarts houses and Hedwig the owl perched in his cage atop. Evans now is starting to get his four young children into the films and books.Evans’ new 49ers teammates noticed that he brought his obsession to Santa Clara, too. “He’s been listening to Harry Potter books on Audible every single morning this entire training camp,” said tight end George Kittle. Evans, 33, doesn’t love the series because of the magic. He loves Harry Potter because of Harry: A kid who loses his parents, grows up with little, discovers his extraordinary talent and is humble despite his status as the chosen one in the wizarding world. “He’s living with his uncle and his cousin, and they treat him like s-. And he’s one of the greatest wizards ever. He’s super humble, competitive. … He’s never too big, even though he is f-ing Harry Potter, the chosen one,” Evans said. “So I’ve always tried to kind of mimic that.”How does he emulate Harry?”He’s just a chill dude, but then he has that fiery side. So I guess I’m kind of similar,” Evans said. “I’m not as great as Harry Potter, but I identify with him.”Though Evans doesn’t draw the connection directly, there’s a striking similarity between him and the character he has admired for more than two decades.Like the fictional Harry Potter, Evans endured the killing of a parent when he was very young. He has spoken about vindicating his father’s death on the football field growing up in Galveston, Texas, and at Texas A&M. Before coming to San Francisco, Evans spent the first 12 years of his career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and recorded at least 1,000 receiving yards in each of the first 11 seasons until an injury-ridden 2025. Only Jerry Rice has matched 11 seasons of at least 1,000 receiving yards.With 108 career touchdown catches, Evans ranks eighth all-time among receivers and 10th overall in