Julio Jones

Early life

Julio Jones was born on February 8, 1989, as Quintorris Lopez Jones in Foley, Alabama. His mother, Queen Marvin, raised him and his brother alone, since his father left him when Jones was just 5 years old. Jones grew up in a violent neighborhood. Jones attended Foley High School in Foley, Alabama, where he played wide receiver for the Lions high school football team. During his high school career, Jones quickly achieved recognition. In his junior year, he caught 75 passes for 1,306 yards and had 16 touchdowns. People referred to him as "Waffle House" because he was always open. He participated in the high school Under Armour All-America Game.

In addition to football, Jones was a starter on the basketball team and was a standout track athlete. He was the state champion in the long jump (24–2 or 7.40m) and triple jump (47–5 or 14.52m) in both 2006 and 2007. He was named the 2006–07 Gatorade T&F Athlete of the Year in the state of Alabama. He was the state champion in the high jump (6–6 or 1.98m) during the 2007 indoor season. He was named All-county selection in 2005, 2006, and 2007. He won Mr. Alabama Track & Field athlete of the year in 2007. He also competed as a sprinter in 2008 and posted a personal-best time of 11.13 seconds in the 100-meter dash at the Class 6A Section 1 Meet, where he placed second.

Considered a five-star recruit by Rivals.com, Jones was listed as the No. 1 wide receiver in the nation in 2008. On February 6, 2008, Jones committed to the Alabama Crimson Tide on National Signing Day, announcing his decision live on ESPNU.

College career

2008 season

In the first of three years on the Crimson Tide, Jones quickly became an impact player and a fan favorite under head coach Nick Saban. Jones became the first true freshman wide receiver ever to start in a season opener for the Crimson Tide, starting against the Clemson Tigers in the 2008 Chick-fil-A College Kickoff; Jones caught four passes for 28 yards and a touchdown in a 34–10 rout. In a 41–30 win over the #3 ranked Georgia Bulldogs, Jones had a breakout performance, catching five passes for 94 yards including a 22-yard touchdown reception from John Parker Wilson. His first 100-yard receiving game occurred in the annual rivalry game versus Tennessee, when he had six receptions for 103 yards en route to a 29–9 victory. Two weeks later, versus #16 LSU, Jones topped his previous performance with seven catches for 128 yards. His 23-yard reception in overtime set up a game-winning touchdown by John Parker Wilson, giving Alabama a 27–21 victory. In the 2008 SEC Championship Game, Jones caught five passes for 124 yards. In the first quarter, Jones caught a 64-yard pass which set up the Crimson Tide's first score of the game. However, #1 Alabama fell to No. 2 Florida by a score of 31–20, the Tide's first loss of the year. Jones finished his freshman season leading all receivers for the Crimson Tide with 58 receptions for 924 receiving yards and four receiving touchdowns.

On December 8, the Southeastern Conference announced the annual All-SEC first-team, second-team, and individual awards, as voted by the Associated Press. Jones was selected to the second-team All-SEC and named as the SEC Freshman of the Year. His performance in his freshman year drew comparisons to NFL greats. ESPN.com reported, "This guy is a unique, rare prospect for the wide receiver position with his supreme blend of size, power, speed, and agility. He reminds us of a high school version of Michael Irvin, but at this stage Jones is more explosive and faster." An NFL scout put Jones in the same category as Arizona Cardinals receiver Larry Fitzgerald, who at the time was the second-leading receiver in the NFL.

2009 season

After experiencing what some writers called a "sophomore slump" during a slow first half to the season, Jones's production increased during the second half of the 2009 season. In a rivalry game against #9 LSU, Jones finished with four catches for 102 yards, including a 73-yard game-winning touchdown in Alabama's 24–15 victory. In the annual Iron Bowl game against rival Auburn, Jones helped in capping a come-from-behind victory, catching three third-down passes in an 8-minute, 80-yard drive that fans call "The Drive" to set up running back Roy Upchurch's game-winning touchdown in the waning minutes of the fourth quarter. Alabama continued through the regular season undefeated at 12–0, working their way to an SEC Championship matchup with the #1 Florida Gators. Jones made the first catch of the game, an 18-yard catch from McElroy. The Crimson Tide won the game 32–13, earning a chance to play for the BCS National Championship in the 2010 title game against the #2 Texas Longhorns. His 23 yards receiving led the Tide in the title game, as the passing game struggled. However, the running game again took over for 205 total rushing yards and led Alabama to a 37–21 victory.

2010 season

Jones started the 2010 season with two games going over 100 yards and three total touchdowns in the first seven games. On October 23, Jones did well against the Tennessee Volunteers, recording 221 yards on 12 receptions in a 41–10 victory at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee. On November 18, against Georgia State, he recorded his first collegiate game with two receiving touchdowns in the 63–7 victory. On November 26, in the Iron Bowl against #2 Auburn, Jones had ten receptions for 199 yards and a touchdown, but the Crimson Tide lost to the Tigers by a score of 28–27. The Crimson Tide reached a bowl game, which was Jones's final collegiate game. In the 2011 Capital One Bowl against Michigan State, Jones had three receptions for 49 yards, 36 rushing yards, and a rushing touchdown in the 49–7 victory.

Jones ended his junior season with an Alabama record of 78 catches and 1,133 yards along with seven touchdowns (fourth in school history). In addition, he had eight rushes for 135 yards and two touchdowns along with five punt returns for 44 yards and five kickoff returns for 129 yards. Jones ended his Alabama career second in career receptions (179) and yards (2,653) in school history and fourth in touchdown catches (15). Jones had eight career 100-yard receiving games (second in school history). Jones was a first-team All-SEC selection in 2010.

Professional career

Pre-draft

On January 7, 2011, Jones decided to forgo his senior season. Instead, he chose to declare eligibility for the 2011 NFL draft with teammates Mark Ingram, Greg McElroy, and Marcell Dareus. Jones was later invited to the "All-Star Football Challenge", a skill contest shown by ESPN on February 4. At the 2011 NFL Combine, he posted the longest long jump and the third-fastest 40-yard dash among wide receivers despite having a broken bone in his foot.

Atlanta Falcons

The Atlanta Falcons selected Jones with the sixth overall pick of the 2011 NFL Draft despite already having Pro Bowl receiver Roddy White. Jones became the earliest drafted wide receiver in franchise history for the Falcons. The Falcons traded five draft picks to the Cleveland Browns to move up into their spot and take Jones, giving up their 27th, 59th, and 124th picks from the 2011 Draft, and their first and fourth-round picks from the 2012 NFL draft. Due to the work stoppage at the time of the draft which prevented teams from using players in draft day trades, Falcons general manager Thomas Dimitroff found it difficult having to use only draft picks to trade up from the number 27th overall pick to the sixth overall pick. "We knew it was going to be an aggressive move and cost us," Dimitroff said. "As an organization we felt very strongly about the move for a player who truly adds the explosive, urgent athleticism we're looking for to improve on this team." He was the second wide receiver to be taken in the 2011 NFL Draft, behind only A. J. Green of the Georgia Bulldogs, who was selected fourth overall by the Cincinnati Bengals. In addition, he was one of five Alabama Crimson Tide players to be selected that year. Jones wore number 11 with the Falcons.

Jones came to terms with the Atlanta Falcons on July 28, 2011, signing a four-year contract worth $16.2 million, all of which was guaranteed. His NFL debut came against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field. In the 30–12 loss, Jones had five receptions for 71 yards. In Week 3 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Jones had six receptions for 115 yards in the Falcons 16–13 loss, his first game with 100+ yards. In Week 4, against the Seattle Seahawks, Jones had 11 receptions for 127 yards in the 30–28 victory. He recorded his first two receiving touchdowns on Week 9 against the Indianapolis Colts in a 31–7 victory. Jones's first touchdown was a 50-yard reception from quarterback Matt Ryan in the first quarter, and the second touchdown was an 80-yard reception from Ryan in the second quarter. After having quiet games against the New Orleans Saints and the Minnesota Vikings, and being inactive during a game against the Tennessee Titans, Jones bounced back against the Houston Texans with four receptions for 68 yards in the 17–10 loss. The following week, Jones had another strong game with three receptions for 104 yards and two touchdowns of 75 yards and 17 yards. Both of his touchdowns were in the 4th quarter, allowing the Falcons to close out a 31–23 victory against the Carolina Panthers. Over the last three games of his season, Jones recorded games of five receptions for 85 yards and a touchdown, eight receptions for 128 yards and a touchdown, and four receptions for 76 yards and two touchdowns. Overall, in 13 games played, Jones finished his rookie season with 393 receiving yards and six touchdowns over the last four games of the regular season. He finished the season leading all rookies in touchdown receptions with eight, while his 54 receptions for 959 receiving yards ranked him second among rookies in yards, behind A. J. Green of the Bengals and third in catches behind Green and Greg Little of the Browns. Jones was named to the PFWA All-Rookie Team for the 2011 season. The Falcons made the playoffs with a 10–6 regular season record to earn the #5-seed in the playoffs. In his playoff debut, Jones had seven receptions for 64 yards in a 24–2 Wild Card Round loss to the eventual Super Bowl champion New York Giants.

Tennessee Titans

On June 6, 2021, the Falcons traded Jones along with a sixth-round selection in the 2023 NFL draft to the Titans for their second-round selection in the 2022 NFL draft and their fourth-round selection in the 2023 Draft. Jones elected to wear jersey No. 2 with the Titans due to jersey No. 11 being taken by fellow receiver A. J. Brown. On September 18, 2021, Jones was fined $10,815 for getting into a scuffle with defensive back Byron Murphy during the season opener against the Cardinals, in which the Titans lost 38–13. The following week against the Seahawks, Jones had his only game of the season with over 100 yards receiving, with six receptions for 128 yards, all recorded in the first half in the 33–30 victory in overtime In the game, Jones had a reception of 51 yards and had a controversial touchdown that was called back after the officials ruled that his right foot did not land fully in bounds while making the catch. In Week 6 against the Buffalo Bills, Jones had three receptions for 59 yards in the 34–31 victory. He gained most of those yards off of a 48-yard reception that he caught after the ball bounced off the helmet of defensive back Micah Hyde. Jones was placed on injured reserve with a hamstring injury on November 13, 2021. He was activated on December 11. Since Week 2, Jones had not had a game where he posted more than 60 yards receiving or more than five receptions. He recorded his only receiving touchdown of the season in Week 18 against the Texans in the final game of the regular season. The Titans were victorious 28–25. In an injury-riddled season, Jones finished the regular season with 31 receptions for 434 receiving yards and a receiving touchdown. The Titans clinched the number one seed in the AFC with a 12–5 regular season record. In Jones' first postseason game in four seasons, in the Divisional Round against the Bengals, Jones had statistically his best game since Week 2 of the regular season, with six receptions for 62 yards as the Titans lost 19–16. On March 16, 2022, Jones was released from the Titans.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

On July 27, 2022, Jones signed a one-year contract with the Buccaneers. Jones made his Buccaneers debut in Week 1 against the Cowboys, a 19–3 victory for Tampa Bay. Following Week 1, Jones was sidelined with a partially torn PCL and missed significant playing time. In Week 8, Jones scored his first touchdown with the Buccaneers on an eight-yard reception from Tom Brady in the 27–22 loss to the Baltimore Ravens. In Week 10 in a game hosted in Munich, Jones posted a productive game with three receptions for 53 yards and a touchdown in a 21–16 victory over the Seahawks. His 31-yard touchdown became the first ever touchdown scored in an NFL game in Germany. Jones played in 10 total games in the 2022 regular season. He recorded 24 receptions for 299 receiving yards and two receiving touchdowns.

Jones and the Buccaneers were knocked out of the Wild Card Round by the Cowboys on January 16, 2023. In the 31–14 loss, Jones had seven receptions for 74 receiving yards and one receiving touchdown. Following the end of the season, Jones was not resigned and became an unrestricted free agent.

Philadelphia Eagles

On October 17, 2023, the Eagles signed Jones to their practice squad. On October 21, Jones was elevated from their practice squad for the Dolphins game, where he had one reception for 3 yards. Eight days later, he recorded his first receiving touchdown as an Eagle in an away game against the Washington Commanders. He was signed to the active roster on November 1. In Week 17 against the Cardinals, Jones recorded two receiving touchdowns as the Eagles lost, 35–31. In the 2023 regular season, Jones appeared in 11 games and started four. He had 11 receptions for 74 receiving yards and three receiving touchdowns. With five minutes remaining in the first half of the Wild Card game against the Buccaneers, Jones got a concussion due to a collision with Zyon McCollum.

On April 4, 2025, Jones announced his retirement from the league.

Career statistics

Career highlights

Awards and honors

NFL

2× First-team All-Pro (2015, 2016)

3× Second-team All-Pro (2017–2019)

7× Pro Bowl (2012, 2014–2019)

2× NFL receiving yards leader (2015, 2018)

NFL receptions co-leader (2015)

NFL 2010s All-Decade Team

Pro Football Hall of Fame All-2010s Team

PFWA All-Rookie Team (2011)

NFC Offensive Player of the Month (September 2015)

8× NFL Top 100 — 26th (2013), 13th (2015), 8th (2016), 3rd (2017), 4th (2018), 9th (2019), 11th (2020), 29th (2021)

College

BCS national champion (2009)

Second-team All-American (2010)

SEC Freshman of the Year (2008)

Sporting News All-Freshman Team (2008)

First-team All-SEC (2010)

2× Second-team All-SEC (2008, 2009)

Playboy Preseason All-American Team (2009, 2010)

Records

Jones holds a number of individual career records:

Most games with 250+ yards receiving (3)

Most games with 300+ yards receiving (1, tied with Jim Benton, Cloyce Box, Stephone Paige, Flipper Anderson, and Calvin Johnson)

Fastest to 7,000 career receiving yards (tied with Lance Alworth) (72 games)

Fastest to 9,000 career receiving yards (95 games)

Fastest to 10,000 career receiving yards (104 games)

Fastest to 11,000 career receiving yards (115 games)

Fastest to 12,000 career receiving yards (125 games)

Fastest to 13,000 career receiving yards (137 games)

Consecutive seasons with 1,300+ yards receiving (6) (tied with Torry Holt)

Consecutive seasons with 1,400+ yards receiving (5)

Consecutive seasons with 1,500+ yards receiving (2, tied with Marvin Harrison, Andre Johnson, Calvin Johnson, and Antonio Brown)

Seasons with 1,600+ yards receiving (2, tied with Marvin Harrison, Torry Holt, Antonio Brown, Justin Jefferson, Tyreek Hill, and Calvin Johnson)

Most seasons averaging 100+ yards per game (5)

Only player to average 100+ yards per game (4) seasons in a row