"Beyond disrespectful" - Falcons fans blast team for giving Julio Jones' #11 jersey to Jalon Walker

Atlanta Falcons fans are annoyed with the franchise for giving away the #11 jersey to rookie Mykal Walker.

The Falcons selected Walker with the 15th overall pick, and he will be a key part of Atlanta's defense. Ahead of training camp, the Falcons revealed the rookies numbers and Walker will wear #11, which caused many fans ot be upset.

Although #11 isn't retired by the Falcons, it was worn by Julio Jones and many fans believe that number should be retired.

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"Giving No. 11 away to some unproven rookie is beyond disrespectful. Julio is an all time great," a fan wrote.

"Julio should retire as a Buccaneer for this disrespect," a fan added.

It's clear that many Falcons fans don't think Atlanta should've given away #11, especially a rookie.

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"Letting another play wear 11 is crazy," a fan wrote.

"giving 11 up like that is wild," a fan added.

Walker played his college football at Georgia and will likely be a Day 1 starter for Atlanta.

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"No way we did Julio like that… wow," a fan added.

"Nah idk about wearing 11," a fan wrote.

It's clear that Falcons fans aren't pleased with the team's decision to let Walker wear #11. Jones last played for Atlanta in 2020 as he was selected sixth overall in 2011 by the Falcons.

He was a seven-time Pro Bowler with Atlanta and a two-time NFL receiving yards leader, showing why many Falcons believe #11 should be retired.

Jalon Walker is excited to be drafted by Falcons

Atlanta used the 15th overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft to select Jalon Walker out of Georgia.

Walker was the first player from Georgia that the Falcons selected in the first round. After being picked, Walker says he's eager to stay in Georgia and help Atlanta reach the playoffs.

"It's one of the biggest blessings of my life honestly," Walker said, via the team website. "And of course, having the title of being the first Dawg ever to be a first-round pick from the University of Georgia is great. And of course, I'm just excited to start my journey in Atlanta."

At Georgia last season, Walker recorded 60 tackles, 6.5 sacks, and 2 fumble recoveries as a star pass rusher.

About the author

Cole is an NHL, NFL and College Sports reporter at Sportskeeda with over 7 years of experience writing for publications like CBC, USA Today, SMG, BJPENN, Sherdog and SB Nation.

An NHL fan his whole life, Cole played rep hockey in Canada from age 5 until 17 and grew up rooting for Martin St. Louis and the Tampa Bay Lightning. His all-time favorite players are Vincent Lecavalier and Steven Stamkos, while Jon Cooper is his favorite coach of all time.

Cole attended Sheridan College and received his journalism degree in 2019. After decades of watching and reporting, he considers his knowledge of sports as his primary strength. He ensures that the same story has been reported by at least two reputed reporters before creating it.

Cole enjoys playing golf and spending time with friends and family when not reporting breaking stories. His favorite sports moment is from the 2010 Olympics, when Sidney Crosby scored the golden goal in overtime to beat Team USA for the gold medal.

Know More

Falcons Nation! Check out the latest Atlanta Falcons Schedule and dive into the latest Falcons Depth Chart for NFL Season 2024-25.

Edited by Cole Shelton