UPDATED 6/7, 11:33 a.m. ET: Julio Jones reportedly didn’t know he was on national TV last month, when he told FS1’s Shannon Sharpe that he was “outta” Atlanta.
“I have it on good authority that Jones had no clue that he was on national TV when he said to FS1’s Shannon Sharpe, ‘I’m outta there’ two weeks ago, which led to his trade request becoming public,” Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer reported Monday.
Jones’ appearance on Undisputed is believed to have sped up the trade process, which eventually landed him in Tennessee.
See original story below.
Just two weeks after revealing his time in Atlanta was coming to an end, Julio Jones has been sent to the Titans in a blockbuster trade.
NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reports the Falcons have agreed to send their 32-year-old star wideout to the Titans, along with a 2023 sixth-round pick, in exchange for 2022 second-round and 2023 fourth-round selections. The deal is expected to become official in a few days pending Jones’ physical.
Tennessee will take on all of Jones’ $15.3 million salary for 2021 and the remaining two years of his contract, while the Falcons assume $7.75 million in dead money.
A seven-time Pro Bowler, Jones has been the league’s most prolific receiver over the past 10 seasons, making five consecutive All-Pro teams from 2015 to 2019. Despite battling a strained hamstring that kept him off the field for seven games last season, Jones still collected 51 catches for 771 yards.
Still in his prime, Jones will now join Tennessee’s star wide receiver A.J. Brown and All-Pro running back Derrick Henry to form one of the NFL’s most potent offenses.
Brown took to Twitter shortly after the trade went down to express his excitement. “Please excuse my language when I say y’all done F------ up,” he captioned a picture of Julio in a Titans uniform.
