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NFL

7-time Pro Bowl receiver Jones officially retires

  • Marc RaimondiApr 4, 2025, 07:11 PM ET

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      Marc Raimondi’s first year covering the Falcons was 2024, but it wasn’t his first year at ESPN. He joined the company in 2019 and was a top combat sports reporter. He also covered professional wrestling and wrote the book “Say Hello to the Bad Guys: How Pro Wrestling’s New World Order Changed America,” which was published by Simon & Schuster in 2025. Raimondi also worked for the New York Post and Newsday, beginning in 2009, covering high school and college sports, plus the NFL, NFL, MLB and NHL.

Former Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Julio Jones, one of the best players in franchise history, announced his retirement from the NFL on Friday.

The 36-year-old Jones, who made the announcement on the app Squad, was a seven-time Pro Bowl selection and two-time first-team All-Pro during his 13 NFL seasons. He twice led the NFL in receiving yards (2015, ’18) and is the Falcons’ all-time leader in receptions (848) and receiving yards (12,896).

His 60 receiving touchdowns rank second in Falcons history behind Roddy White (63).

“I’m making this announcement today because of the city of Atlanta,” Jones said. “Thank you, man. I appreciate y’all. It’s nothing but love. I’m doing this on 404 day. It was a hell of a ride. … This was for the city, man, I appreciate you all.”

Jones last played for the Philadelphia Eagles in 2023, catching 11 passes for 74 yards and three touchdowns in 11 games.

He had three games with more than 250 receiving yards in his career — tops in NFL history. His five consecutive seasons of 1,400 receiving yards also is an NFL record.

Jones was taken sixth overall in the 2011 draft out of Alabama by the Falcons. He started 13 games as a rookie and went on to amass six seasons with more than 1,000 receiving yards and at least six touchdown catches, joining Matt Ryan as the best quarterback-wide receiver combination in franchise history.

He had 19 catches, 334 receiving yards and three touchdowns in three postseason games as the Falcons reached the Super Bowl during the 2016 season.

Overall, Jones caught 914 passes for 13,703 yards and 66 touchdowns. He played for Tennessee in 2011 and Tampa Bay in 2022.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

NFL

Sources: Raiders cut CB Jones after trade efforts

  • Ryan McFaddenApr 6, 2025, 02:57 PM ET

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      Ryan McFadden covers the Las Vegas Raiders for ESPN’s NFL Nation. Prior to ESPN, McFadden was a Denver Broncos beat reporter for the Denver Post. McFadden also wrote about the Baltimore Ravens and University of Maryland athletics for The Baltimore Sun.

HENDERSON, Nev. — The Las Vegas Raiders are releasing cornerback Jack Jones after attempting to trade him, sources confirmed to ESPN.

The Raiders will save $3.4 million in salary cap space by moving on from Jones.

Jones played in 24 games with the Raiders after the franchise claimed him off waivers in 2023, following his release from the New England Patriots, where he played just one full season.

In 2024, Jones started in 16 games and totaled a career-best in tackles (69), passes defended (16) and interceptions (3). However, Jones gave up 698 yards, 9 touchdowns and a passer rating of 108.9 on 88 targets as the nearest defender.

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Following the departures of Jones and Nate Hobbs, who joined the Green Bay Packers on a four-year deal, the Raiders’ cornerback room features Jakorian Bennett, 2024 fourth-round pick Decamerion Richardson, M.J. Devonshire, Kyu Blu Kelly, Eric Stokes and Darnay Holmes.

Bennett, Stokes and Richardson play mostly on the outside, and Holmes is the team’s lone nickel cornerback. At the annual league meeting, general manager John Spytek said the team has to figure out the nickel spot.

“The nickel is a critical spot in Pete [Carroll]’s and [defensive coordinator Patrick Graham’s] defense,” Spytek said. “… We stress the importance of that position in our defense. They’re asked to do a lot, and they can be hard to find.”

Expect the Raiders to use this month’s draft to improve their depth at cornerback. Las Vegas could target Michigan cornerback Will Johnson in the first round. Meanwhile, players such as Maxwell Hairston (Kentucky) and Trey Amos (Ole Miss) could be potential Day 2 picks.

The news of Jones being released was first reported by NFL Network.

NFL

Backup plan: Cowboys trade for Pats QB Milton

  • Todd ArcherApr 3, 2025, 10:21 AM ET

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      Todd Archer is an NFL reporter at ESPN and covers the Dallas Cowboys. Archer has covered the NFL since 1997 and Dallas since 2003. He joined ESPN in 2010.

FRISCO, Texas — The Dallas Cowboys’ search for a backup quarterback to Dak Prescott has landed on Joe Milton III.

The Cowboys acquired Milton and a 2025 seventh-round pick (No. 217) from the New England Patriots for a 2025 fifth-round pick (No. 171) on Thursday.

Talks between the clubs started a few weeks ago and escalated this week during the NFL’s annual meeting at The Breakers resort in Palm Beach, Florida.

The Cowboys’ need for a backup rose after Cooper Rush signed a two-year deal with the Baltimore Ravens that guaranteed him $4.2 million. Earlier in free agency, the Cowboys targeted Jacoby Brissett, per sources, but he signed with the Arizona Cardinals. The Cowboys were also looking at Drew Lock, who spent last year with the New York Giants.

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NFL

Jackson-Earnhardt Jr. trademark dispute resolved

  • Jamison HensleyApr 4, 2025, 01:33 PM ET

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      Jamison Hensley is a reporter covering the Baltimore Ravens for ESPN. Jamison joined ESPN in 2011, covering the AFC North before focusing exclusively on the Ravens beginning in 2013. Jamison won the National Sports Media Association Maryland Sportswriter of the Year award in 2018, and he authored a book titled: Flying High: Stories of the Baltimore Ravens. He was the Ravens beat writer for the Baltimore Sun from 2000-2011.

OWINGS MILLS, Md. -= It looks like Dale Earnhardt Jr. has waved the red flag in a short-lived trademark dispute with Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson.

The NASCAR legend announced Friday on social media that he has secured the right to use a stylized version of No. 8 and will abandon the original No. 8 logo used by Earnhardt’s JR Motorsports. This decision came two days after Jackson filed an opposition claim with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office to stop Earnhardt from putting that JR Motorsports version of No. 8 on merchandising.

“We are looking forward to the remainder of an already successful season,” Earnhardt wrote on social media.

Jackson, who has worn No. 8 since his college days at Louisville, previously registered the trademark “ERA 8 by Lamar Jackson.” His filing had argued Earnhardt’s attempt to trademark that particular version of No. 8 would create confusion among consumers.

The trademark review for a challenge can take more than a year. If the U.S. Patent and Trademark appeal board would have denied Earnhardt, Jackson could have sued him if Earnhardt had used it for merchandising.

This isn’t the first time that Jackson has tried to stop another athlete from filing a trademark on this number. In July, Jackson challenged Hall of Fame quarterback Troy Aikman’s attempt to use “EIGHT” on apparel and bags.

When asked about this dispute last summer, Jackson said, “We’re going to keep this about football. That’s outside noise. We’re sticking with [talking about training] camp, football, and that’s it.”

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