In the end, Julio Jones wanted out and Julio Jones got out. The Falcons and the player will both move on, hoping for more successful days ahead.
He’s right to want more. A player of Jones’ caliber and character deserves to enjoy a storybook career, and he’s pushing for the kind of ending to his story that he wants. Good on him. At 32, Jones is playing for his legacy. He wants to win, and in this new era of Atlanta Falcons football, the wins might not fall right away.
That’s okay for Atlanta (as much it stinks) — despite relying on veteran Matt Ryan for now, this team’s future is very much up in the air, to be shaped by the new decision-makers.