It was exactly this time last year (Dec. 30) when Falcons wide receiver Julio Jones was entering the offseason after missing the final 11 games of 2013 with a foot injury.
He then embraced months of work to return to the player fans remember pre-injury, resulting in his second-career Pro Bowl season.
"My year was good because the other receivers were good, as well," Jones said. "Roddy (White), Harry (Douglas), Devin (Hester) and Eric Weems, those guys did their part, and I started getting one-on-ones (matchups), and I took advantage of it."
If his 2014 season was a canvas, Jones painted quite a masterpiece, highlighted by his record-setting performance in Week 14. The former Alabama wide receiver was unstoppable against the Green Bay Packers, setting a franchise record with 259 receiving yards on 11 catches, including one 22-yard touchdown.
Julio Jones rewrote the franchise record books with a huge performance on Monday Night Football. We look back at 10 of his best games in today's Throwback Thursday gallery.
Sept. 25, 2011 - Julio Jones notches his first 100-yard game as a Falcon, racking him 115 yards on six receptions
Oct. 2, 2011 - Julio follows his first 100-yard game with another, this time putting up 127 yards in a thrilling 30-28 win over Seattle on the west coast
Nov. 6, 2011 - In perhaps his breakout game, Jones put up gaudy numbers in a 31-7 rout of the Colts in Indianapolis. Jones scored the first touchdown of his career in that game, a stunning catch on a 50-yard pass by Matt Ryan
Sept. 9, 2012 - Jones picked up right where he left off to start the 2012 season, racking up 108 yards on six receptions and chipping in two touchdowns in a 40-24 win over Kansas City
Nov. 25, 2012 - Jones recorded his biggest output to that point with 147 yards receiving and a touchdown in a 24-23 win over Tampa Bay
Jan. 20, 2013 - Big players show up in big games, and there was none bigger than the NFC Championship game for the Falcons. Jones contributed greatly to a big halftime lead over San Francisco and, despite the eventual loss, finished with 182 yards on 11 receptions with two touchdowns
Sept. 15, 2013 - Jones went off in a Week 2 matchup in 2013 against St. Louis, putting together an 11-reception, 182-yard performance that included a touchdown
Sept. 18, 2014 - After missing most of 2013 with a foot injury, fans were waiting to see the Julio they remembered. They got it in a 56-14 trouncing of Tampa Bay as Jones led the way with 161 receiving yards and two touchdowns
Nov. 30, 2014 - Jones broke his personal best for receiving yards with his 189-yard effort against Arizona this season.
Dec. 8, 2014 - How do you follow up a career best? With another one. Jones' performance on Monday Night Football against Green Bay was one for the ages. He set a new personal best with 259 receiving yards, broke Roddy White's franchise record for yards in a game, set a new franchise record for yards in a season, and played a big role in the Falcons' come back from a 31-7 deficit
Also during that epic Monday Night Football performance, Jones set a franchise record for single-season receiving yards (1,428) in just 13 games before finishing the year with 1,593 yards, along with 104 catches and six touchdowns. He tied Eric Metcalf for the third most receptions in a single season by a Falcons receiver and is the fourth player in team history to record 100-plus catches in a season.
Following Sunday's game against Carolina, Jones was asked about his offseason plans and how long it will take him to get over the 6-10 campaign of 2014.
"I just have to get healthy," Jones said. "Everything else is going to take care of itself. The season is over and done now; we just have to move on to the next season by getting healthy, getting back right, getting in shape and moving forward."
