Atlanta’s Julio Jones: ‘I Used To Play Running Back’

If you want to know how Atlanta Falcons receiver Julio Jones can turn on the burners after a catch, it’s because he used to play running back.

Jones sat down with former NFL coach Tony Dungy and told him how his love for football originated — and how fast he used to be.

Atlanta Falcons Julio Jones says he used to play running back

What few people know, is that Jones used to be a running back in high school.

“I love to block in the running game probably because I played running back and it’s very important for your receivers to block. You can spring [running backs] so I love blocking,” he said.

Julio said he used to be super-fast in high school. “I think I ran a 4.3 in high school,” he said.

He said he began to really excel when he got new coaches in school. “Joe Williams and Ty Watson (from Hoover) came in and Ty moved me to wideout,” he said. “I moved out to receiver and everything else became history.” True indeed.

Jones has become the premiere wide receiver in the NFL.

He is the first player in NFL history to record five consecutive seasons of gaining at least 1,400 yards. And if you know Jones and the Falcons, there’s a lot more to come.

Read more: See the Atlanta Falcons 2019 opponents

Tee Johnson: Tee Johnson is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of AtlantaFi.com, Atlanta’s independent hyper-local publication focused on news, restaurants, events, jobs, neighborhoods, and lifestyle. A 15+ year Atlanta resident and longtime journalist and content creator, she covers Travel News, Events, Business, Hair Care, and Money with a practical, Atlanta-first lens. Before launching the site, Johnson worked as a substitute teacher in Atlanta Public Schools and later in corporate roles at Home Depot’s Vinings offices. A marketer by training with a degree in business management, she grew frustrated with the fragmented, hard-to-find information about what was actually happening in the city. That gap led her to create AtlantaFi as a curated, one-stop resource for the pulse of Atlanta—#ATLHAPS—without the national noise. Editorial decisions remain independent; the publication does not accept products, meals, or services in exchange for coverage. As Editor-in-Chief, she oversees original local reporting and curated practical guides that help residents, visitors, and businesses discover and engage with the city. Readers turn to her work for timely event roundups, dining and neighborhood insights, business and travel updates, and straightforward money and lifestyle coverage grounded in firsthand observation of Atlanta. A devoted lover of all things Atlanta, Tee enjoys pickleball, a good margarita or bourbon, and walking the Atlanta Beltline. She can be reached for editorial inquiries at tjohnson@atlantafi.com (serious inquiries only).

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