"I’m here to dominate" - When Julio Jones made feelings known about signing with Eagles

Former Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Julio Jones didn’t mince words when he was asked if he still had it in him while signing with the Philadelphia Eagles in October 2023.

“You just keep watching,” Jones told reporters. “I ain’t going to make no expectations. … My mindset is definitely to dominate. Don’t get it twisted. I’m here to dominate.”

At the age of 34, Jones had cemented his legacy after a memorable run with the Atlanta Falcons, where he tallied over 12,000 yards for 55 touchdowns while playing alongside veteran quarterback Matt Ryan. But after battling injuries, his 10-season-long stint with the Falcons ended in 2020, after which he joined the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and played alongside NFL legend Tom Brady.

Although his performance with the Bucs was underwhelming — with just 807 yards across three seasons — that didn’t stop the Eagles from betting on Jones as they tried to leverage his experience and confidence.

“The team needs me to fit in, and I’m willing to do it,” Jones said. “I’m a veteran. I can move around, whatever the case may be.”

Eagles coach Nick Sirianni made it clear that Jones was signed to play in a supporting role behind DeVonta Smith, A.J. Brown and Dallas Goedert. But the future Hall of Famer didn’t see himself as just another body.

“Philly is an amazing place. The people here, the fans here, everything,” he added. “It’s definitely going to be wild … but I’ve been playing this game for a long time. During the game, I’ve got to do my job.”

Julio Jones announces retirement after 13 seasons

Julio Jones played 11 games but played primarily in situational roles such as red-zone and short-yardage sets. His career ended after suffering a concussion in the NFC wild-card game in January 2024. Since then, he hasn’t played in the NFL.

Jones called retirement on his career on Friday, and former teammate Matt Ryan congratulated him through X:

“Still to this day the best catch I've ever seen was right after we drafted Julio, we were at Buford high school working out.”

Regardless of the end, Jones will be signing off as one of the best wideouts of the last decade and arguably the best who played for the Atlanta Falcons.