Julio Jones says he joined Bucs to be ‘part of something special’

Julio Jones is likely going to go into the Hall of Fame, but he’s still missing that coveted Super Bowl ring.

Of course, he was part of the Atlanta Falcons team that blew a 28-3 lead to Tom Brady and the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LI — so what better way to increase your chances at a Super Bowl win than joining the guy who basically took away what you had coming?

Jones, who officially signed a one-year deal with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and was introduced to the media on Wednesday, gave a pretty simple reasoning for joining Brady and the Bucs.

“It’s a great opportunity for me to be a part of something special in the Buccaneer family,” Jones said.

The Bucs won Super Bowl LV in Brady and Rob Gronkowski’s first season with the team. Last year, they fought back from down 27-3 against the eventual Super Bowl Champion Los Angeles Rams, but lost on a walk-off field goal.

Jones was a member of the Falcons for 10 seasons before being traded last year to the Tennessee Titans, who released him this offseason.

Once a bitter rival of the Bucs, Jones had to admit he didn’t think this would ever happen.

“But that’s the past,” he added. “I’m here now. I’m looking forward. I’m not looking backwards.”

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Jones has had his fair share of injuries recently. He’s played in just 19 games in the last two seasons combined, and hasn’t played a full season since 2018.

But Jones says he’s all good to go for 2022.

“I don’t have any issues, nothing lingering, holding me back, anything like that,” Jones said. “But it’s just the beginning. So I just have to check all those boxes first and then come out here and play.”

The Bucs will kick off their season against the Dallas Cowboys on “Sunday Night Football” in Week 1; Jones is set to mark his return to Atlanta in Week 18.