Terry Fontenot and Arthur Smith stay silent on Julio Jones

Freddie Falcon

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Mar 16, 2019
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The only statement from the Falcons regarding the trade of receiver Julio Jones came from the owner of the team. That probably wasn’t an accident.

On one hand, new G.M. Terry Fontenot and new coach Arthur Smith had no role during the 10 years Jones spent with the team. On the other hand, they are the current holders of the top two football jobs in the organization. Some would say it’s unusual that neither the General Manager or the head coach had anything to say about one of the most important players in franchise history.

Fontenot easily could comment on the struggles that his former employer, the Saints, faced when dealing with Jones twice per year. Smith easily could say that his most recent employer, the Titans, have gotten a great player that will make a very good team even better.

For now, they’re saying nothing. And possibly for good reason. As one source with knowledge of the dynamics in Atlanta recently explained it, the decision to trade Jones arose in part from the fact that Jones consistently and repeatedly failed to accept or respond to efforts by Smith to communicate with one of the key players on the team. So to the extent that Smith and/or Fontenot believe Jones didn’t give the new regime much of a chance to move forward with Jones on the team, neither Smith nor Fontenot should feel compelled to say anything now that Jones is gone.
 
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