When Tom Brady Invited Julio Jones to Chase a Super Bowl Ring Together After the Falcons’ 28-3 Shocker by the Patriots

Julio Jones, 36, officially retired from football on Friday. The 13-year NFL veteran was one of the league’s most dominant receivers during his Atlanta Falcons tenure. Across those 10 seasons, Jones recorded 828 receptions, 12,896 yards, and 60 touchdowns.

Jones is one of the rare receivers whose typical production translated to the playoffs. He averaged 104.4 receiving yards per game in the postseason for Atlanta. That figure topped his regular season mark by nearly nine yards (95.5). He made one Super Bowl appearance with the Falcons and made an incredible sideline grab in the game that fans thought would seal a victory for Atlanta.

Unfortunately, even Jones’ heroic contorting catch couldn’t salvage the Falcons in the end. They blew a 28-3 lead against Tom Brady and the New England Patriots and lost Super Bowl LI 34-28 in overtime. Six years later, Jones would join Brady on a quest for a championship with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Following his Atlanta dominance, Jones’s career stalled out. He went to Tennessee but didn’t see much success there, either. After Jones was released by the Titans, Brady reached out to him to express his interest in playing together in Tampa.

“I talked to him, I talked to Tom several times. It wasn’t really about coming to Tampa. We were just communicating, feeling each other out, I guess. It was probably a tactic,” Jones had revealed.

Instead of prioritizing his individual numbers, Julio focused on winning a Super Bowl. However, his teams – the 2021 Tennessee Titans, 2022 Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and 2023 Philadelphia Eagles – all made the postseason but lost in the wildcard round. He posted 807 combined yards in his final three seasons.

Hearing this, it’s obvious Jones and Brady’s partnership wasn’t as fruitful as they had hoped. They connected just 24 times for 299 yards and two touchdowns. One of those scores came versus the Seattle Seahawks in the NFL’s first-ever game in Germany. In fact, it was the first touchdown a player ever recorded in Germany.

Regardless of how things worked out, Jones has no regrets. And he very much looked forward to the opportunity to play with Brady. It’s something he never anticipated having the chance to do, especially for another franchise in the NFC South.

“I didn’t [think I’d play with Tom Brady]. I didn’t think that [I’d play for Tampa Bay]. But [Atlanta is] the past. I’m here now. I’m looking forward, I’m not looking backwards. It’s a great opportunity for me to be a part of something special in the Buccaneer family. Just looking forward to getting to work,” he said in 2022.

Now that his cleats are hanging up, Jones can move to the next stage of his football life. Sooner than later, the seven-time Pro Bowler will be inducted into the Falcons’ Ring of Honor. And down the road, he’ll likely earn a Pro Football Hall of Fame induction. Because he didn’t play in 2024, Jones is first eligible for Canton’s hallowed halls in 2028.