One of the best receivers of his generation has decided to hang up his cleats. Julio Jones, a seven-time Pro Bowler and two-time first-team All-Pro, announced his retirement on Friday following a 13-year NFL career that included 10 highly-successful seasons with the Atlanta Falcons.
“It was an amazing ride,” Jones said while announcing his retirement on social media.
The sixth overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft, Jones was named to his first Pro Bowl in 2012 and was a Pro Bowler each year from 2014-19. In 2015, Jones tied Antonio Brown for the NFL lead with 136 receptions and also recorded a league-best 1,871 receiving yards. A year later, Jones helped lead the Falcons to the franchise’s second Super Bowl appearance. He caught nine passes for 180 yards and two touchdowns in Atlanta’s NFC Championship game victory over Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers.
Jones led the NFL in receiving yards for a second time in 2018. He posted his seventh and final 1,000-yard receiving season in 2019 before injuries started to slow him down. Jones played in just nine games in 2020 — his final season in Atlanta — and in just 19 games during his final three seasons, which were spent in Tennessee, Tampa Bay and Philadelphia, respectively. Jones did not play in the NFL last season.
A national champion at Alabama, Jones finishes his NFL career with 914 receptions for 13,703 yards and 66 touchdowns. In addition to his Pro Bowl and All-Pro nods, Jones was also named to the NFL’s All-2010s Team.
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While receivers have found it difficult in recent years, Jones is a shoo-in for induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame at some point. He will be eligible for induction for the first time in 2029.
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