Julio Jones’ NFL career has officially come to an end. On Friday, the Pro Bowl wide receiver announced that he was retiring from the league after 13 seasons.
Jones, a seven-time Pro Bowler, started his career with the Atlanta Falcons. He spent 10 seasons with the team, leading the Falcons to a Super Bowl appearance in 2016.
Jones, who last played in the NFL in 2023, announced the news in a video on social media.
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“Today I’m announcing my retirement,” Jones said. “It started when I was 8 years old, just a kid in Foley, Alabama. It was an amazing ride.”
In the video, Jones thanked his family, teammates, coaches — including former Alabama coach Nick Saban, former Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan and former Falcons coach Mike Smith — and more. He also thanked the city of Atlanta, and thanked each of his NFL teams for giving him the opportunity to play.
In 2011, Jones was selected sixth overall by the Falcons out of Alabama, and went on to have a highly successful career there. He was named to the Pro Bowl seven times, including six consecutive selections from 2014-2019. Jones was also named First-team All-Pro in 2015 and 2016, and led the league in receiving yards in 2015 and 2018.
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Jones was traded to the Tennessee Titans in 2021 and spent one season there. The following year, he signed a one-year deal to join the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Jones signed to the Philadelphia Eagles’ practice squad in 2023, and was elevated to the main roster later that season.
In 2020, Jones was named to the NFL’s 2010s All-Decade Team.
