The Atlanta Falcons went through a tough stretch of seasons after moving on from wide receiver Julio Jones and quarterback Matt Ryan. Jones was traded to the Tennessee Titans during the 2021 NFL offseason and Ryan was shipped to the Indianapolis Colts one year later.

The Falcons eventually found replacements for Jones and Ryan, but the team hasn’t made the playoffs since 2017 when the two were still in Atlanta. Both players have since retired, with Jones officially hanging up his cleats back in April.

Advertisement

While Jones’ post-Falcons career was somewhat forgettable, his 10-year run in Atlanta was one of the most dominant runs by a wide receiver in NFL history. The former top-10 pick recorded 848 catches, 12,896 receiving yards and 66 touchdowns from 2011-2020.

Pro Football Focus released its All-PFF Team, ranking the best players of the last 25 years at each position. Jones was one of three wide receivers to make the cut, along with Antonio Brown and Tyreek Hill:

Jones enjoyed five straight seasons (2015-19) with at least a 90.0 PFF receiving grade, a feat that hasn’t been replicated. No other wide receiver has more than three such seasons in their NFL careers. Jones’ dominance over that stretch is one of the more impressive accomplishments in PFF history, with his 2016 season standing out, in particular. He set a record for PFF receiving grade in a season (93.4) at that point, beating Antonio Brown’s 2015 mark. Jones’ 2.53 yards per route run for his career is still the top mark for a wide receiver who has played more than six NFL seasons since 2006, and his 409 career explosive receptions (15-plus yards) are still the most in PFF history. — Jonathon Macri, PFF

The Falcons didn’t immediately draft Jones’ replacement, instead taking tight end Kyle Pitts with the No. 4 overall pick in 2021. Pitts posted a 1,000-yard rookie season but hasn’t been the same since. Atlanta drafted wide receiver Drake London with the No. 8 pick in the 2022 draft.

London was solid during his first two years but really hit his stride in 2024 with a career-high 1,271 receiving yards and nine touchdowns. The addition of Michael Penix Jr. seemed to bring out the best in London, which bodes well for the Falcons offense going forward.

Advertisement

As for Ryan, the former league MVP joined CBS as an NFL analyst, but he’s expected to help mentor Penix in Atlanta this season.

This article originally appeared on Falcons Wire: Falcons News: Julio Jones makes All-PFF Team