Former Jaguars WR Marvin Jones Jr. steps away from football to focus on family

The Jacksonville Jaguars were a hot mess during the Urban Meyer era but not everything was doom and gloom. Among the bright spots at the time was wide receiver Marvin Jones Jr., one of their top offensive weapons and a veteran presence in the looker room. Jones joined the Detroit Lions earlier this year but has announced that he's hanging up his cleat to take care of family matters.

Jones shared a post on Instagram in which he announced that he's stepping away from football, thanking his teammates, coaches, and the city of Detroit. He says that it was no easy decision but can't "be the person/player that I need to be for this team as well as tend to my family from afar."

A fifth-round pick by the Cincinnati Bengals in 2013, Jones spent four years with the Lions before inking a two-year deal with the Jags. He became a free agent after the 2022 season and returned to Detriot. The former Cal Golden Bear hauled in five catches for 35 yards in six games with four starts this season.

Jones caught 234 passes for 3,366 yards with 32 touchdowns during his first stint with the Lions. He was the Jaguars leading receiver in 2021, tallying 73 receptions for 832 yards with four touchdowns. With the arrival of Christian Kirk and Zay Jones the following season, Jones' saw a decreased role but still remained an important part of the Jacksonville offense, registering 46 receptions for 529 yards with three touchdowns.

Marvin Jones Jr. was a breath of fresh air for the Jacksonville Jaguars

Marvin Jones Jr. put up good numbers throughout his career and he certainly left his mark in Jacksonville. He quickly realized the Urban Meyer hire wasn't going to work out almost right away, noting that the head coach wasn't truthful or transparent when addressing the team. Late in the 2021 season, the two got into a heated argument when Meyer publicly and privately questioned the wide receiver corps.

In the end, Meyer was given the boot and Jones remained in please to help in the Jacksonville Jaguars underwent in 2022. Following their playoff win over the Los Angeles Chargers, Jones was asked if the team was broken after the Urban Meyer debacle, and he said, "Only one person is broken, it wasn't us."

But as important as Jones was for the Jags, his chances of re-signing after 2022 became bleak when they traded for Calvin Ridley. Either way, Jones played an important role during the Jags' rebuild, and that's one of the many things he will remembered for.

It's uncertain whether Marvin Jones Jr. will resume his NFL career but he should feel good knowing he had a positive influence anywhere he went. The Jacksonville Jaguars surely remember.

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