Julio Jones has hung up his cleats. He has finally called it quits on a glittering 13-year career that had its fair share of highs and lows, including Tom Brady and the Patriots denying him a Super Bowl ring. The Alabama Alum, who spent the majority of his career with the Falcons, made 7 Pro Bowls and was an All-Pro five times, becoming arguably one of the best receivers of this century.
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He was a rare breed of wideouts who had a powerful, big 6’4 frame, along with great hands and a speed that is unusual for his size.
During the latest episode of the 4th&1, Cam Newton and his guest and the Falcons TE, Kyle Pitts, reflected on Jones’ retirement and his impact on the sport. Pitts lavished praise on Jones, calling him a GOAT who had a great impact on Atlanta and its football culture.
“To me, Julio is like one of my GOATs. I put Julio in my top three of whoever played the game at the receiver, especially in Atlanta. He transformed the city of Atlanta and its culture. I feel like he is one of the first 6’4 guys who could run like Tyreek Hill at 5’10.”
Jones retired with several records to his name. He holds the record for most games with 250+ and 300+ yards with three and one, respectively. He was the fastest receiver to 7k, 9k, 10k, 11k, 12k, and 13k yards in the NFL. He also has the most receiving yards per game average with 91.9 and various other records in his back pocket.
So what did Cam, who entered the NFL in the same season as Julio and played against him for the better part of his career, have to say about him? The former MVP named Jones as his “favorite football player.” He even played against him in college and, interestingly, even hosted him during Julio’s visit to Florida.
“Crazy enough when I was at Florida, I hosted Julio. All this dude wanted, he was like “Bro, I’m not coming to Florida, just give me the money. They give you per diem and it had to be all $150. He was like give me the money, bro. You ain’t got to worry about me. Give me the money, we’ll be good. I’ll figure out whatever I’m supposed to do.”
Despite competing against him on the field, Cam had deep respect and admiration for Julio Jones. That respect, however, didn’t make playing against him any easier. In fact, he hated it because of everything Julio brought to the game.
With his rare combination of size, speed, and skill, Julio didn’t just beat defenders — he intimidated them. His presence alone could shake a defensive back’s confidence before the first snap.
That’s the legacy that Julio Jones leaves behind. He wasn’t just a dominant receiver — he was a force of nature. With that legacy, he’s more than earned his place in Canton and the gold jacket that comes with it.
