Detroit Lions wide receiver Marvin Jones Jr. has announced his retirement from Football. After servicing the franchise for 6 years over two terms, the veteran has come out with the decision, citing a reason that is worth respecting. Since the announcement that comes with a little disclosure, fans have come forward, recollecting his many bittersweet on-field moments and valuable contributions.

A lot was being speculated after Jones missed two matches in the season for unavailability. On Tuesday, the veteran finally opened up about why he was moving ahead with this untimely decision. As a man with a stellar record hangs his jersey, the NFL community can’t keep quiet reminiscing about his many special moments.

Here’s why Marvin Jones Jr. is stepping away!

Jones was deemed unavailable for the Ravens match on Sunday, his second of the season. His presence was dearly missed as Lamar Jackson and Co. thrashed the Lions 38-6. When asked how long his absence would be, head coach Dan Campbell had no clear answer. On Tuesday, the veteran decided to clear the clutter for himself and for the franchise.

He announced he was stepping away from the sport on an Instagram post, with a “Love and Respect to all!” caption after a farewell note. At one point, he said, “I cannot be the person/player that I need to be for this team as well as tend to my family from afar.” Even though he is stepping away to “take care of family matters”, the athlete thanked the NFL for showing love and support towards himself and his family. NFL insider Adam Schefter shared the news on X (formerly, Twitter).

Following that, the Lions officially released the wide receiver from their squad. And fans have joined to recollect the memories of the 33-year-old. The news led to some overwhelming reactions from fans.

Some showed their support towards Jones and his family.

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While a few acknowledged his pivotal role in the Lions’ journey and even suggested it was the correct time for the decision.

This surely creates a great void in the Lions squad, which looks to recover from the Ravens showdown.

Marvin Jones Jr. – One of the greatest the Lions ever had

Jones was a fifth-round draft pick for the Bengals in the 2012 NFL draft. He played for the Lions from 2016-2020 and again this season. The 33-year-old is often recognized as one of the best WRs in the Lions’ history. Although, neither the Lions nor any other team got to see silverware with him in the squad, his individual contributions were always up there with the best. He particularly had 4331 yards, 294 receives, and 36 touchdowns playing for the franchise.

But the dependable wide receiver faced personal struggles ever since joining them this season, and couldn’t make it to the squad for a few matches, leading to the decision. Lions clearly doesn’t have any in-hand replacement for the veteran, but the trade window is open for six more days and they will keep that in mind. It remains interesting to see how the Lions perform on the field without the service of the experienced wide receiver, especially after the Ravens hammering. They face off with the motivated Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday, 22 October, who will be coming from a loss against the Bears.

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