A.J. Brown Says Julio Jones Declined No. 11 Titans Jersey: 'I Tried to Give It Up'

Julio Jones wanted a fresh start, and he's got one—both in location and uniform number.

A.J. Brown, who pushed hard for the Tennessee Titans to acquire the future Hall of Famer, said Jones declined the offer to wear No. 11 with the team.

Jones wore No. 11 during his 10-year tenure with the Atlanta Falcons. The Titans sent a 2022 second-round pick and a 2023 fourth-round selection to the Falcons in exchange for Jones and a 2023 sixth-round pick. He had requested a trade a few months earlier, per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.

Atlanta has missed the playoffs the last three seasons.

The Titans are set to be a fashionable Super Bowl pick after acquiring Jones. They won their first division title since 2008 last season but lost to the Baltimore Ravens in the Wild Card Round.

Jones' presence may give the Titans more comfort in trusting quarterback Ryan Tannehill in big situations. While Tannehill has been one of the most efficient regular-season passers in football over the last two years, he's struggled in the playoffs, leaving running back Derrick Henry to shoulder too much of the load.

Jones and Brown will give Tennessee one of the sport's best one-two punches at receiver. With Henry, a solid offensive line and a good defense in place, Tannehill may be the biggest question mark when it comes to the Titans' chances at the Lombardi Trophy.