On Tuesday, Detroit Lions wide receiver Marvin Jones made an announcement that he would be stepping away from the team due to personal family matters. Subsequently, he was released by the team, as reported by NFL Network insiders Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero.
In an Instagram post, Jones shared, “To keep it brief, I am taking a break from the team to attend to pressing family matters. While this decision wasn’t easy, I realize that I cannot fully commit as a player and person to the team while also meeting my family’s needs from a distance.”
This marked the first time this season that Jones was inactive, which happened in Detroit’s Week 7 loss to the Baltimore Ravens. Earlier in the year, he had re-signed with the Lions for his 12th NFL season under a one-year, $3 million contract. Unfortunately, his performance had been limited, with just five receptions on 10 targets for 35 yards and no touchdowns.
His number of targets was tied for seventh on the team, along with the injured running back David Montgomery. Meanwhile, Amon-Ra St. Brown emerged as a promising young wide receiver in the league, and rookie tight end Sam LaPorta made an immediate impact. Surprisingly, Kalif Raymond and Josh Reynolds also contributed significantly, and Jameson Williams returned from suspension.
Although Jones didn’t explicitly mention retirement, if this indeed marks the end of his career at the age of 33, he can reflect on a productive journey. He began as a fifth-round pick in the 2012 NFL Draft by the Cincinnati Bengals. He spent four seasons with the Bengals, one of which was on injured reserve, followed by two seasons with the Jacksonville Jaguars and two separate stints with the Lions, initially from 2017 to 2020, and then returning to Detroit this year.
Throughout his career, Jones played in 151 games, with 118 starts, amassing 547 receptions for 7,421 yards and 58 touchdowns.
