‘He Wouldn’t Take It’ – AJ Brown Says Julio Jones Refused To Take His #11 Jersey

Published 06/08/2021, 2:40 PM EDT

AJ Brown did everything he could to convince Julio Jones to join the Tennessee Titans. Taking to social media, the wide receiver from Ole Miss went all out to ensure that he did his bit in the recruiting process.

And Brown, a self-professed Julio Jones fans, has finally gotten his wish. Earlier this week, the Tennessee Titans sent their 2022 second-round pick and a 2023 fourth-rounder in exchange for the Atlanta Falcons wide receiver.

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Jones was drafted by the Falcons franchise back in 2011. And since then the wide receiver has always worn the #11 jersey. But at Tennessee, that number is taken. And it belongs to none other than AJ Brown.

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Brown though earlier had stated that he’d be willing to vacate the number for Jones to wear. A sign of respect and to help Jones feel more at home, many lauded Brown for the measure.

But it seems Julio isn’t looking to wear #11 anymore.

AJ Brown to retain his #11 jersey

Taking to Twitter, Brown said that while the team was in the works to make the switch, it’s ultimately not going through.

“#11 until I retire. I tried to give it up and he wouldn’t take it,” Brown tweeted.

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So far there’s no official word as to why the switch wasn’t made. Whether it indeed was Jones’ choice or an administrative decision remains to be seen.

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After all, if Jones did take up #11, it would leave a lot of Titans fans with an outdated AJ Brown jersey. And Brown’s electrifying second season, it’s safe to assume that a lot of Titans are rocking his #11 kit.

The assumption now is that Julio Jones will wear the #8 jersey. It was the jersey number he had during his college days at Alabama. The #8 jersey too isn’t vacant but making that switch shouldn’t cause as much fuss as rookie punter James Smith is currently its custodian.

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Titans fans will expect Brown and Jones to set the league alight with their play next season. Together, the two have the potential of becoming one of the most feared wide receiver duos in the NFL.

And regardless of which jersey number they wear, the result is expected to be the same. Sleepless nights for the opposition’s secondary.

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Written by:

Shivayan Roy is currently an NFL writer at EssentiallySports. After completing his Masters Diploma in Journalism from the Asian College of Journalism, Roy functioned as a reporter for Goal.com and extensively covered the FIFA U-17 World Cup.

‘He Wouldn’t Take It’ – AJ Brown Says Julio Jones Refused To Take His #11 Jersey

AJ Brown to retain his #11 jersey

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