The Atlanta Falcons' team Twitter account was quite upfront in response to wide receiver Julio Jones telling Shannon Sharpe he wanted out Monday during a live taping of Undisputed.
The Falcons could have avoided the situation entirely amid all the uncertainty surrounding Jones' future in Atlanta. Instead, the team tweeted out this gem:
In a call with Shannon Sharpe, Julio Jones commented on his future in Atlanta. https://t.co/i3622KR4fp
— Atlanta Falcons (@AtlantaFalcons) May 24, 2021
The trolling aspect in all this seems to come from the question of whether or not Jones knew he was on the air during the phone call. Sharpe did not indicate to Jones the show was live until the end of the call, which is another issue entirely.
Regardless, it would not appear Jones is long for Atlanta.
The All-Pro receiver went viral following the call with Sharpe, though NFL Network's Ian Rapoport later reported Jones had already asked the Falcons for a trade. It remains to be seen what kind of return Atlanta can get for the star wideout.
There is no doubt Jones is one of the best players at his position. However, he is also 32 years old and still owed over $38 million in salary over the course of the next three years.
The Falcons reportedly had talks with multiple teams ahead of last month's NFL Draft, but nothing ever came of those discussions. Jones' salary appears to be a legitimate hurdle in trade talks, as does Atlanta's desire to acquire a first-round pick in exchange for the seven-time Pro Bowler.
That said, it could just be a matter of time before the Falcons are forced to take the best available offer. They certainly seem ready to put an end to the saga.
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