"My goat up there with megatron": NFL fans pay tribute to Julio Jones announcing retirement after 13 seasons

Julio Jones is retiring after 13 NFL seasons. He played for the Atlanta Falcons, the Tennessee Titans, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and the Philadelphia Eagles, subsequently announcing his retirement Friday.

The Falcons's first-round pick in the 2011 NFL Draft, Jones was selected sixth overall out of Alabama and last seen on the field as part of the Eagles franchise in 2023.

"Today I'm announcing my retirement," the former wide receiver announced on the social media app, "Squad." "It started when I was eight years old, judt a kid from Foley, Alabama. It was an amazing ride. I'd like to thank my family through this whole process. Without them, none of this could have been possible."

Following the news of his retirement, fans all over social media showed their respect for the wide receiver. Many fans wished him luck in retirement, while many dubbed him a top 10 or even top five wide receiver in NFL history.

Here's how NFL fans reacted:

"Top 5 WR of all time," a fan replied.

"Top 3 ever. Don’t care what anyone says," a fan wrote.

"top 5 WR to ever play," said another fan who put Julio Jones in their top-five wide receivers of al time.

Not only did fans voice their opinions on Jones being one of the greatest wideouts of all time, but many suggested that he would be a Hall of Famer very soon. Some fans even think he should be a first-ballot Hall of Famer.

Here's how more fans reacted:

"Get the gold jacket ready," a fan said who suggests Jones will be in the Hall of fame soon.

"Julioooooooooooo legendary career deff inspired me… gold jacket this guy no later than 2030," a fan said.

"Sad he never got a ring but one of the most Influential WRs of all time," a fan said.

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Julio Jones stats & records: Exploring the former WR's most impressive stats

Julio Jones during Seattle Seahawks vs. Atlanta Falcons. (Credits: Getty)

Julio Jones may be one of the best wide receivers of all time, and a trip to Canton, Ohio, is definitely in the works. His numbers and accolades back up his claim.

Jones caught 914 passes for 13,707 yards and 66 touchdowns in 166 career games. Additionally, he has 24 carries for 163 rushing yards. The wide receiver was named a Pro Bowler seven times, made five All-Pro selections and led the league in receiving yards twice.

Julio Jones averages the most receiving yards per game in NFL history (91.9). He reached 500 receptions quicker than any receiver, was the fastest to 13,000 career receiving yards, and has the record for most games with at least 250 receiving yards (3).

In the Falcons's franchise history, the retiring wide receiver has the most career receiving yards, receptions, and 1,000-yard seasons (7) among many other franchise records.