ATLANTA – Julio Jones continues to shatter records this season.
After catching 10 passes for 166 yards in Atlanta's 24-12 win over the Jaguars, Jones became the fastest player in NFL history to reach 12,000 career receiving yards.
Jones passed Jerry Rice's record for the second straight week. The seven-time Pro Bowl receiver reached this mark in 125 games, 17 games fewer than Rice. Last week against the 49ers, Jones broke Rice’s record for most receiving yards through nine seasons with 11,881 yards.
Following the game, Jones reacted his record-breaking performance by crediting his teammates and coaches for allowing him to be himself.
"It's a great achievement but it's for my teammates," Jones said. "Dirk has been doing a great job this year putting me in the right positions and try to exploit the defenses. Matt has been throwing great balls to me. Offensive line has been doing a great job. Running backs in pass protection, allowing me to just be me. My accomplishments and everything is to the team."
Jones has the utmost respect from the players within the Falcons' locker room and here's what a few of them had to say about him reaching this milestone and what impresses them most:
*Linebacker Deion Jones: *
"Julio is Julio. That's a credit of how hard he works, how much time he puts into his craft, that's a blessing."
Running back Brian Hill:
"Just the way he prepares himself every day. He comes into practice every day like he's a rookie. He runs his routes hard, he tries to make every difficult catch in practice ad it comes out on the field. He's the GOAT really, there's not really many people competing with him except Randy and Calvin. I'm taking 11 over anyone in the league right now."
*Wide receiver Russell Gage: *
"He's everything you think and more. He's a great player. The way he prepares during practice, if you could watch him, the way he works at his craft, you understand this is second nature for him. I'm just real proud of him."
"His preparation, it never changes. He stays poised and he goes after every play the same way. It's impressive. Under pressure, he doesn't fold, he's Julio."
*Defensive tackle Grady Jarrett: *
"Just the kind of professional he is. A guy in his position got all the ammo to be whatever kind of person he wants to be. Act how he wants to act. He's a guy who comes to work day in and day out and acts like it's his first day still got something to prove day in and day out. He respects his teammates, he respects his fans, everything. He respects the game and that's what we admire so much about him. I couldn't have a better example of how you act when you start getting praise. You never stop."
