Julio Jones facts for kids
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Jones with the Atlanta Falcons in 2019
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| No. 11, 2, 6, 80 | |||||||
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| Position: | Wide receiver | ||||||
| Personal information | |||||||
| Born: | February 8, 1989 Foley, Alabama, U.S. |
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| Height: | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | ||||||
| Weight: | 220 lb (100 kg) | ||||||
| Career information | |||||||
| High school: | Foley | ||||||
| College: | Alabama (2008–2010) | ||||||
| NFL Draft: | 2011 / Round: 1 / Pick: 6 | ||||||
| Career history | |||||||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||||
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| Player stats at PFR | |||||||
Julio Jones (born February 8, 1989) is a former professional football player. He was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL) for 13 seasons. He played most of his career with the Atlanta Falcons.
Before joining the NFL, Jones played college football for the Alabama Crimson Tide. He helped them win a national championship in 2009. The Falcons then chose him as the sixth overall pick in the 2011 NFL draft. Many people consider him one of the best wide receivers of the 2010s.
After a strong first year, Jones had 1,198 receiving yards and ten touchdowns in 2012. He was chosen for his first Pro Bowl. Even though he was injured in 2013, he came back strong in 2014. He led the Falcons in receiving yards and made his second Pro Bowl. He also formed a great connection with quarterback Matt Ryan.
In 2015, Jones had an amazing season. He led the league in receiving yards and was tied for the most catches. His stats were among the top five all-time for a single season. He was also named to his first All-Pro team. In 2016, he had another great year and helped the Falcons reach Super Bowl LI.
Over the next three seasons, Jones gained more receiving yards than any other player. He led the league in yards again in 2018. Jones has more receiving yards than any other player who started in the 2010s. He was selected for seven Pro Bowls and was named All-Pro multiple times.
Jones was known for his unique mix of size, speed, and catching ability. He was often compared to another great receiver, Calvin Johnson. Jones became the fastest player in NFL history to reach 10,000 career receiving yards in 2018. He also became the Falcons' all-time leader in receiving yards and catches. After the 2020 season, Jones was traded to the Tennessee Titans. He later played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Philadelphia Eagles before retiring in 2025.
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Early Life and High School Years
Julio Jones was born on February 8, 1989, in Foley, Alabama. His mother raised him and his brother. Jones went to Foley High School where he played wide receiver for the Lions football team. He quickly became a well-known player.
In his junior year, he caught 75 passes for 1,306 yards and scored 16 touchdowns. People even called him "Waffle House" because he was always open to catch the ball. He also played in a special high school game called the Under Armour All-America Game.
Besides football, Jones was also a star in track and field. He was the state champion in the long jump and triple jump in 2006 and 2007. He was named the best track and field athlete in Alabama in 2007. He also competed in the high jump and 100-meter dash.
Experts considered Jones one of the best wide receiver recruits in the country in 2008. On February 6, 2008, he announced on ESPNU that he would play for the Alabama Crimson Tide.
College Football Career
Starting Strong at Alabama (2008)
Julio Jones quickly became a key player for the Alabama Crimson Tide. He was the first freshman wide receiver to start a season opener for the team. In his first game, he caught four passes and scored a touchdown.
He had a standout game against the #3 ranked Georgia Bulldogs, catching five passes for 94 yards and a touchdown. Jones had his first game with over 100 receiving yards against Tennessee. Two weeks later, he had seven catches for 128 yards against #16 LSU. His catch in overtime helped Alabama win the game.
Jones finished his freshman year leading the team with 58 catches for 924 yards and four touchdowns. He was named the SEC Freshman of the Year. People compared his skills to famous NFL players.
Sophomore Season and a National Title (2009)
Jones's performance improved during the second half of the 2009 season. In a big game against #9 LSU, he had four catches for 102 yards, including a 73-yard touchdown that helped Alabama win.
In the annual Iron Bowl game against Auburn, Jones made important catches that led to a game-winning touchdown. Alabama finished the regular season undefeated. They then won the 2009 SEC Championship Game against #1 Florida.
This win earned them a spot in the 2010 BCS National Championship Game against #2 Texas. Alabama won the championship game 37–21, making Jones a national champion.
Junior Year Success (2010)
Jones started the 2010 season with several strong games. On October 23, he had an amazing game against Tennessee, catching 12 passes for 221 yards. This was a career high for him in college.
He scored two touchdowns in a game for the first time against Georgia State. In the Iron Bowl against #2 Auburn, Jones had ten catches for 199 yards and a touchdown.
In his final college game, the 2011 Capital One Bowl, Jones had a rushing touchdown in a big win over Michigan State. He finished his junior season with an Alabama record of 78 catches and 1,133 yards. He also scored seven touchdowns.
Jones ended his college career second in Alabama history for career catches and yards. He was also named a first-team All-SEC player in 2010.
College Statistics Overview
| Alabama Crimson Tide | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Games | Rushing | Receiving | Punt Returns | Kick Returns | |||||||||||||||||||||
| GP | GS | Att | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Rec | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Ret | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Ret | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | |||||
| 2008 | 14 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 58 | 924 | 15.9 | 64 | 4 | 2 | 11 | 5.5 | 10 | 0 | 1 | 21 | 21.0 | 21 | 0 | ||||
| 2009 | 13 | 13 | 2 | 4 | 2.0 | 5 | 0 | 43 | 596 | 13.9 | 73 | 4 | 5 | 75 | 15.0 | 33 | 0 | 1 | 12 | 12.0 | 12 | 0 | ||||
| 2010 | 13 | 13 | 8 | 135 | 16.9 | 56 | 2 | 78 | 1,133 | 14.5 | 68 | 7 | 5 | 44 | 8.8 | 41 | 0 | 5 | 129 | 25.8 | 36 | 0 | ||||
| Total | 40 | 40 | 10 | 139 | 13.9 | 56 | 2 | 179 | 2,653 | 14.8 | 73 | 15 | 12 | 130 | 10.8 | 41 | 0 | 7 | 162 | 23.1 | 36 | 0 | ||||
Professional Football Career
Joining the Atlanta Falcons
Julio Jones decided to enter the 2011 NFL draft after his junior year of college. At the NFL Combine, he showed off his amazing athletic skills. He had the longest long jump and one of the fastest 40-yard dash times among wide receivers.
The Atlanta Falcons chose Jones as the sixth player picked in the 2011 NFL Draft. To get him, the Falcons traded five draft picks to the Cleveland Browns. This showed how much they wanted Jones on their team. He was the second wide receiver chosen in that draft.
Jones signed a four-year contract with the Falcons. He wore jersey number 11 for the team.
Rookie Season (2011)
Jones made his NFL debut against the Chicago Bears. He had five catches for 71 yards. In Week 3, he had his first game with over 100 receiving yards. He scored his first two touchdowns in Week 9 against the Indianapolis Colts. One of these was an 80-yard catch from quarterback Matt Ryan.
Jones finished his first season leading all rookies in touchdowns with eight. He was second among rookies in receiving yards. The Falcons made the playoffs with a 10–6 record. In his first playoff game, Jones had seven catches for 64 yards. He was named to the PFWA All-Rookie Team.
Becoming a Pro Bowler (2012)
Jones started his second season strong with six catches for 108 yards and two touchdowns. He had several more games with over 100 yards, including a 147-yard game with an 80-yard touchdown against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The Falcons finished the season with a 13–3 record, earning the top spot in their conference. In the playoffs, Jones even caught an interception on a "Hail Mary" pass attempt. In the NFC Championship game, he had a career-high 11 catches for 182 yards and two touchdowns.
For the 2012 season, Jones had 79 catches for 1,198 yards and 10 touchdowns. This was his first season with over 1,000 receiving yards. He was chosen for his first Pro Bowl.
Injury and Comeback (2013–2014)
Jones started the 2013 season well, with a game of 11 catches for 182 yards and an 81-yard touchdown. However, in Week 5, he broke his foot and missed the rest of the season. Even with only five games played, he still had 41 catches for 580 yards.
In 2014, the Falcons extended Jones's contract. He started the season with a 116-yard game. In Week 3, he had nine catches for 161 yards and two touchdowns. He set a new career high with 189 yards against the Cardinals.
The next week, he broke that record again with 259 yards against the Green Bay Packers. This was his first game with over 200 receiving yards. He finished the season with 104 catches for 1,593 yards, leading his conference. He was named to the Pro Bowl again.
Record-Breaking Season (2015)
In 2015, the Falcons signed Jones to a big contract extension. He started the season with nine catches for 141 yards and two touchdowns. He had a career-high 13 catches in Week 2.
Jones had many more impressive games, including 12 catches for 162 yards and a touchdown against the Buccaneers. He finished the 2015 season with 1,871 receiving yards, which was a Falcons record and the third-highest in NFL history. He also had a franchise-record 136 catches, tying for the most in the league that season.
He was selected for his third Pro Bowl and earned first-team All-Pro honors. Many consider his 2015 season one of the greatest ever for a wide receiver.
Super Bowl Appearance (2016)
In Week 4 of the 2016 season, Jones had an incredible game. He caught 12 passes for a Falcons-record 300 yards and a touchdown. This made him only the sixth player in NFL history to have at least 300 receiving yards in a single game.
Jones continued to have strong performances throughout the season. He finished with 83 catches for 1,409 yards and six touchdowns. He was selected for his fourth Pro Bowl and was named first-team All-Pro for the second year in a row.
The Falcons made it to the playoffs and then to Super Bowl LI. In the Super Bowl against the Patriots, Jones made a spectacular catch late in the game. However, the Falcons lost the game in overtime.
Continued Dominance (2017–2019)
In 2017, Jones had another amazing game against the Buccaneers, with 12 catches for 253 yards and two touchdowns. He became the first player in NFL history with three games of at least 250 receiving yards. He was named to his fifth Pro Bowl. He finished the season with 88 catches for 1,444 yards.
In 2018, Jones continued to break records. He became the fastest player in NFL history to reach 10,000 career receiving yards. He also became the first player in NFL history to have five straight seasons with at least 1,400 receiving yards. He finished the season leading the league with 1,677 receiving yards. He was named to his sixth Pro Bowl.
In 2019, Jones signed a new contract, making him the highest-paid wide receiver at the time. He became the Falcons' all-time leader in receiving yards. He also became the fastest player in NFL history to reach 11,000 and then 12,000 career receiving yards. He finished the season with 99 catches for 1,394 yards. He earned his seventh Pro Bowl nomination.
Final Season with Falcons (2020)
In Week 1 of the 2020 season, Jones caught nine passes for 157 yards. He also passed 800 career catches in this game. In Week 4, he became the Falcons' all-time leader in career receptions.
Jones dealt with a hamstring injury during the season. He played in nine games, finishing with 51 catches for 771 yards and three touchdowns. In May 2021, Jones publicly stated he wanted to leave the Falcons.
Time with Other Teams (2021–2023)
On June 6, 2021, the Falcons traded Jones to the Tennessee Titans. He chose to wear jersey number 2. In Week 2, he had his best game with the Titans, catching six passes for 128 yards. He scored his only touchdown of the season in Week 18. Jones finished the season with 31 catches for 434 yards. He was released by the Titans in March 2022.
On July 27, 2022, Jones signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He scored his first touchdown with the Buccaneers in Week 8. In Week 10, he scored the first ever touchdown in an NFL game played in Germany. He played in 10 games, recording 24 catches for 299 yards and two touchdowns. He became a free agent after the season.
On October 17, 2023, the Philadelphia Eagles signed Jones to their practice squad. He scored his first touchdown as an Eagle in Week 8. In Week 17, he scored two touchdowns. Jones appeared in 11 games for the Eagles, with 11 catches for 74 yards and three touchdowns. He retired from the NFL on April 4, 2025.
NFL Career Statistics
| Legend | |
|---|---|
| Led the league | |
| Bold | Career high |
Regular Season Stats
| Year | Team | Games | Receiving | Rushing | Fumbles | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Rec | Yds | Avg | 1D | Y/G | Lng | TD | Att | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Fum | Lost | ||
| 2011 | ATL | 13 | 13 | 54 | 959 | 17.8 | 36 | 73.8 | 80 | 8 | 6 | 56 | 9.3 | 19 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 2012 | ATL | 16 | 15 | 79 | 1,198 | 15.2 | 56 | 74.9 | 80 | 10 | 6 | 30 | 5.0 | 18 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2013 | ATL | 5 | 5 | 41 | 580 | 14.1 | 25 | 116.0 | 81 | 2 | 1 | 7 | 7.0 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 1 |
| 2014 | ATL | 15 | 15 | 104 | 1,593 | 15.3 | 76 | 106.2 | 79 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 1.0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 |
| 2015 | ATL | 16 | 16 | 136 | 1,871 | 13.8 | 93 | 116.9 | 70 | 8 | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | 1 |
| 2016 | ATL | 14 | 14 | 83 | 1,409 | 17.0 | 64 | 100.6 | 75 | 6 | — | — | — | — | — | 0 | 0 |
| 2017 | ATL | 16 | 16 | 88 | 1,444 | 16.4 | 67 | 90.3 | 53 | 3 | 1 | 15 | 15.0 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2018 | ATL | 16 | 16 | 113 | 1,677 | 14.8 | 80 | 104.8 | 58 | 8 | 2 | 12 | 6.0 | 11 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| 2019 | ATL | 15 | 15 | 99 | 1,394 | 14.1 | 77 | 92.9 | 54 | 6 | 2 | −3 | −1.5 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 2020 | ATL | 9 | 9 | 51 | 771 | 15.1 | 36 | 85.7 | 44 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | 0 | 0 |
| 2021 | TEN | 10 | 10 | 31 | 434 | 14.0 | 19 | 43.4 | 51 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | 0 | 0 |
| 2022 | TB | 10 | 5 | 24 | 299 | 12.5 | 13 | 29.9 | 48 | 2 | 5 | 45 | 9.0 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2023 | PHI | 11 | 4 | 11 | 74 | 6.7 | 4 | 6.7 | 22 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | 0 | 0 |
| Career | 166 | 153 | 914 | 13,703 | 15.0 | 646 | 82.5 | 81 | 66 | 24 | 163 | 6.8 | 19 | 0 | 11 | 6 | |
Postseason Stats
| Year | Team | Games | Receiving | Rushing | Fumbles | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Rec | Yds | Avg | Y/G | Lng | TD | Att | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Fum | Lost | ||
| 2011 | ATL | 1 | 1 | 7 | 64 | 9.1 | 64.0 | 20 | 0 | 1 | 13 | 13.0 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2012 | ATL | 2 | 2 | 17 | 241 | 14.2 | 120.5 | 46 | 2 | 1 | −1 | −1.0 | −1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2016 | ATL | 3 | 3 | 19 | 334 | 17.6 | 111.3 | 73 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | 0 | 0 |
| 2017 | ATL | 2 | 2 | 18 | 195 | 10.8 | 97.5 | 27 | 1 | 1 | 13 | 13.0 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2021 | TEN | 1 | 1 | 6 | 62 | 10.3 | 62.0 | 16 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | 0 | 0 |
| 2022 | TB | 1 | 0 | 7 | 74 | 10.6 | 74.0 | 30 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | 0 | 0 |
| 2023 | PHI | 1 | 1 | 3 | 22 | 7.3 | 22.0 | 14 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 0 |
| Career | 11 | 10 | 77 | 992 | 12.9 | 90.2 | 73 | 7 | 3 | 25 | 8.3 | 13 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
NFL Records and Achievements
Julio Jones holds many impressive NFL records:
- Most games with 250+ yards receiving (3)
- Fastest player to reach 7,000, 9,000, 10,000, 11,000, 12,000, and 13,000 career receiving yards.
- Most consecutive seasons with 1,300+ yards receiving (6)
- Most consecutive seasons with 1,400+ yards receiving (5)
- Most seasons averaging 100+ yards per game (5)
- Only player to average 100+ yards per game for four seasons in a row.
- Most 100+ yard games in his first eight seasons (49)
- Fewest games to record 500 career receptions (80, tied with Anquan Boldin)
- Most receiving yards per game average in a career (91.9)
- Most receiving yards in a single game against the Carolina Panthers (300)
- Most receiving yards in a single game against the Green Bay Packers (259)
- Most receiving yards in a single game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (253)
Atlanta Falcons Team Records
Jones also holds many records for the Atlanta Falcons:
- Most career receiving yards (12,896)
- Most career receptions (848)
- Most career games with at least 100 receiving yards (58)
- Most receiving yards in a single game (300, in 2016)
- Most receptions in a single season (136, in 2015)
- Most receiving yards in a single season (1,871, in 2015)
- Most seasons with at least 1,000 receiving yards (7)
Awards and Honors
- NFL 2010s All-Decade Team
- 7× Pro Bowl selections (2012, 2014–2019)
- 2× First-team All-Pro (2015, 2016)
- 3× Second-team All-Pro (2017, 2018, 2019)
- 2× NFL receiving yards leader (2015, 2018)
- NFL receptions co-leader (2015)
- Pro Football Hall of Fame All-2010s Team
- 2008 AP SEC Freshman of the Year
- 2009 SEC Championship
- 2010 BCS National Championship
See also
In Spanish: Julio Jones para niños
