Saban's Endorsement the 'Final Straw' in Decision to Deal for Jones

Titans general manager Jon Robinson was emboldened by what one of college football's greatest coaches had to say about the Pro Bowl wide receiver.

For several reasons, Tennessee Titans general manager Jon Robinson liked what he saw in Julio Jones as he weighed whether to trade for the veteran wide receiver.

Of course, Robinson enjoyed watching Jones’ film. The seven-time Pro Bowler and two-time All-Pro produced Hall-of-Fame numbers over 10 seasons with the Atlanta Falcons, frequently overwhelming defenses with his combination of speed, size and skill. In addition, Robinson and the Titans understand that Jones values winning over personal production.

Robinson, however, also liked what he heard.

Alabama coach Nick Saban vouched for Jones, who starred for the Crimson Tide from 2008-10, in conversations with Robinson. SI.com senior NFL writer Albert Breer, in his latest MMQB column a day after the Titans acquired Jones, detailed some of what was said during those discussions, which Robinson characterized as “the final straw” in his decision to make the deal.

“You have arguably the greatest college coach of all time to endorse a player that he coached in college, and obviously has stayed in contact with,” Robinson told Breer. “I think that was kind of the closer, that ‘Hey, this guy's about what we're about.’”

Players, coaches and executives around the league use the word “accountability” so much to the point it has become cliché. But it’s true that successful locker rooms preach and value that trait.

At some point ahead of Sunday’s trade, a YouTube video of Jones talking to Saban about the importance of accountability stood out to Robinson.

“... This is after Julio had been in the league for a while – one of the things he learned pretty early at Alabama was Coach Saban holding players accountable, and the best players holding their teammates accountable,” Robinson told Breer. “That's so huge in the NFL, for teammates to hold each other accountable. And I thought that was pretty good perspective from Julio in that little YouTube clip that I saw.”

Robinson, coach Mike Vrabel and the Titans’ personnel department did plenty of homework on Jones before sending a 2022 second-round pick and a 2023 fourth-round pick to the Falcons in the trade to get him (they also got a 2023 sixth-round selection in return). They surely talked to many members of Atlanta’s organization.

But one voice stood out among the rest. And that was Saban, a seven-time National Champion and one of the most decorated and highly regarded leaders in college football history.

“I think he’s about what we’re about,” Robinson said in his press conference of Jones. “He’ll fit in well. We’re excited to get him in here and get it rolling.”