Marlon Jones rejoins the Detroit Lions this offseason after they added him in 2016. The stint was speculated to be another stellar period for the player in Detroit, yet he was spotted playing sparingly this season. His bonding with the Lions soon got headlines after the wide receiver missed the team’s last week’s game against the Baltimore Ravens.
Nevertheless, in an attempt to put an end to all the rumors, Jones made a bizarre decision to sever ties with the Lions, presenting a brief explanation for this choice.
What is the reason behind Marvin Jones’ departure?
The Lions made the initial move to exclude Marvin Jones from their roster on Saturday. Consequently, the player declined to travel with the team to Maryland. This decision was unexpected, as the player had participated fully in practices throughout the week and was not known to be injured. The team later announced that they had made this choice for undisclosed reasons.
Shortly after the team’s announcement, the 33-year-old also informed his team about his decision to step away from the Lions. He issued a statement on his Instagram account, citing his choice as a result of family matters.
“I just want to say that I have so much love and respect for the Ford Family, the city of Detroit, my teammates and coaches. To be brief, I am stepping away from the team to take care of personal family matters. Although this was no easy decision, I cannot be the person/player that I need to be for this team as well as tend to my family from afar.”
As SI.com reports, the Lions later declared that Marvin Jones had been dismissed from the 53-man active roster.
Marvin Jones career highlights with Lions
After playing the first four seasons with the Joe Burrow led-Cincinnati Bengals, Marvin Jones landed his NFL career with Lions, signing a five-year deal in 2016.
He acquired the team’s trust by becoming one of their major offensive weapons, in addition to succeeding the retiring Calvin Johnson. The receiver recorded 4,331 receiving yards and 36 touchdown catches in his second season with the Lions in Detroit, where he also had a 1,000-yard campaign in 2017.
He completed 289 passes for 4,296 yards before departing the Lions in 2021 to embark on a new career with the Jacksonville Jaguars. Jones has participated in six games this season and has five receptions for 35 yards.
With the departure of Marvin from the Lions roster, the dynamic rookie Antoine Green and the talented second-year wide receiver Jameson Williams will now be engaged in a fierce competition for the coveted position.
In Week 8, the Lions shall engage in a formidable battle against the Las Vegas Raiders. With the departure of their esteemed veteran from the equation, fans ponder whether they shall emerge victorious or endure a devastating defeat in the forthcoming Week 7 encounter.
