At this point, it’s never a surprise when a veteran superstar signs with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Ever since Tom Brady came to down, it feels like no beloved legend from any other team is safe from the GOAT’s reach.
Atlanta Falcons fans found this out Tuesday, when reports started pouring in that seven-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Julio Jones would be signing a one-year deal with the Bucs.
Sure, Jones has been banged up in recent years, including the 2021 season, which he spent with the Tennessee Titans. But for 10 years in Atlanta, Jones was a constant thorn in Tampa Bay’s side, putting up ridiculous numbers against his NFC South rivals.
Jones has played 16 games against the Bucs in his career, the equivalent of a full regular season (before last year’s switch to the current 17-game format). Over that stretch, the former Alabama star and top-10 draft pick racked up 114 receptions for 1,841 yards and 11 touchdowns.
Now, Jones will join Brady and an already star-studded cast of pass-catchers that includes a pair of fellow Pro Bowl wide receivers in Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, another recent Pro Bowl addition in tight end Kyle Rudolph, and a former Falcons teammate of Jones in the newly acquired Russell Gage.
Not only will Falcons fans have to watch Matt Ryan throw passes for the Indianapolis Colts this year, but they’ll also have to endure Julio Jones catching passes from the quarterback who stole their best chance at a Lombardi Trophy, all for a hated rival twice a year.
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