Julio Jones dropped massive news on Monday when he appeared on Fox Sport 1's "Undisputed" and told Shannon Sharpe "I'm out of" Atlanta, confirming months of speculation that he was a potential trade asset for the Falcons.
But did he know he was being recorded?
At first glance, it appears as if Sharpe cold-called the 32-year-old Falcons receiver. It's unlikely Jones was watching the show, as Skip Bayless suggested, either: Jones told Sharpe he was going to see his brother at the time he got the call. And Sharpe told Jones they were live only after the latter said he wasn't long for Atlanta.
Here's the full minute-and-37-second sequence:
Julio Jones’ thoughts on the Falcons and Cowboys. pic.twitter.com/Y9tQDnw2dO
— shannon sharpe (@ShannonSharpe) May 24, 2021
MORE: Jones trade rumors: 49ers, Patriots top best fits for pricey Falcons WR
We don't know whether Sharpe made Jones aware beforehand that he would call him and place him on speakerphone live on national television. If he didn't, then the call — which was taped in California — could be a violation of the state's two-party consent law, specifically penal code 632, which prohibits the amplifying or recording of confidential communication without all parties' consent.
Neither Sharpe nor Fox Sports has confirmed whether the call was set up beforehand.
At the very least, it seems unsavory that Sharpe would place Jones in a compromising situation because the latter didn't know a national audience was listening to his phone call.
Regardless, Jones' admission offered insight into what he's looking for in his post-Atlanta career. NFL insider Ian Rapoport broke the news after the show that Jones himself had requested a trade from the Falcons two months ago, at which point the organization started fielding offers.
Clarity on the situation between the #Falcons and WR Julio Jones: The All-Pro requested a trade from the organization a few months ago, sources say, and the team then agreed to listen to offers. That’s how it began and why it continues.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) May 24, 2021
Based on Jones' own admission on "Undisputed," he wants to go somewhere he can win. Jones excluded Dallas from his lists of potential trade destinations.
