Julio Jones' retirement has been met with no shortage of nostalgia. The dominant wide receiver brought some of the greatest moments in Atlanta sports history and some of the most jaw-dropping plays in NFL history.
While Jones is an all-time great and a future Pro Football Hall of Famer, many don't see him as being one of the three best at his position, which is crazy. In fact, when you take everything into account there is an argument for him being the greatest receiver to ever take an NFL field.
Let's take a look at the advantages he has over great names like Jerry Rice, Randy Moss, and others.
1. Julio Jones was unselfish and an ultimate team player
Diva and wide receiver will always be connected. It is a position that pushes for stats and attention. Nearly every great one has had a bit of flair and selfishness.
Julio Jones is the exception. The future Hall of Famer never commanded the ball. He always wanted to do what was best for the team and was perfectly okay with demanding double coverage. Matt Ryan even said there were times Julio yelled at him for throwing him the ball when someone else was single-covered.
Say what you want but that is valuable to a team. When your best player is your least selfish player, it rubs off on everyone. Think about it, no one who played alongside Julio acted like a diva. That is directly related to the all-time great's unselfish attitude and example.
2. Julio Jones dominated the stat sheet with the Atlanta Falcons
Julio Jones was more than just unselfish, he was absolutely dominant despite getting the best from every defense he played. During his prime, there was no one more feared than the Falcons receiver -- yes, including Antonio Brown.
Until he left the Falcons, he was by far and away the all-time leader in receiving yards per game. He had five straight 1,400-yard seasons (six yards shy of six straight) and an incredible 1,871-yard 2015 season.
Touchdowns were the lone thing that eluded Julio. Nevertheless, much of that had to do with being double- and triple-teamed and urging the ball to be thrown elsewhere.
3. Julio Jones was a prototype wide receiver who had no weaknesses
Julio Jones had the perfect blend of size, strength, and speed. There are many instances throughout his career where he displayed all three in one play. He would fight for the ball, shake a few defenders, and then speed for a long touchdown.
Seeing a player of his stature move like he did was unbelievable. Those moments when he would catch a crossing route and then hit the jets were special.
Beyond his ability in the receiving game, he was always willing to do whatever was asked of him. If he was asked to be a decoy, fine by him. He always gave full effort as a blocker, helping to spring holes that his peers would've given up on.
There is nothing bad you can say about future Pro Football Hall of Famer Julio Jones. He is the greatest, most dominant wide receiver in NFL history.