The Extra Point: Nick Saban Played an Important Part of the Julio Jones Trade
The fallout from the Julio Jones trade is beginning to be felt around the football world, with the Tennessee Titans making a bold move to try and return to the Super Bowl.
The deal by the Atlanta Falcons, who sent Jones and a 2023 sixth-round pick to Tennessee in exchange for a 2022 second-rounder and a 2023 fourth-rounder, was actually a long time in the making, which Albert Breer wrote extensively about in this week's edition of MMQB: The Julio Jones Trade Has Been in the Works for a Long Time.
In his story, though, is an item Alabama fans will not be surprised to hear about.
Titans head coach Mike Vrabel spoke multiple times with Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban before the Titans made the trade.
"Yeah, we did a lot of background work, talked to several different people," General manager John Robinson told SI. "Everybody was pumped about his competitiveness, his desire to win, the way he works. And at the end of the day, Coach Saban spoke highly of Julio and his approach to the game of football.
"It felt like that was kind of the final straw. 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. I think that was kind of the closer, that ‘Hey, this guy's about what we're about.’”
This past season the Titans made the playoffs only to lose in the wild-car round. Two years ago they reached the AFC Championship.
As for this season coming up, SportsBetting.ag dropped Tennessee from 40-1 to 25-1 after Jones was traded. Here are all the ways the trade impacted the Titans’ futures odds:
Super Bowl: 40-1 to 25-1
AFC: 20-1 to 12-1
AFC South: +150 to +110 (now co-favorites with Colts)
Victory total: 9 wins to 9.5 wins
Tannehill MVP: 40-1 to 25-1
On the flip side, the Falcons' Super Bowl odds jumped from 50-1 to 66-1 while Matt Ryan's MVP odds moved from 28-1 to 40-1.
The Extra Point is a regular weekday feature on BamaCentral+, and often includes video and other elements from our FanNation parters. Other recent segments include:
10 Notable Things Tua Tagovailoa Told Dolphins Reporters
Another Alabama Player Makes Good First NFL Impression, Alex Leatherwood
Landon Collins Says He Has 'Renewed Drive' To Help Washington
Could the Broncos Be Bringing Patrick Surtain II Along Slowly?
What to Expect from Year 2 of Tua Tagovailoa in the NFL
Henry Ruggs III 'Ready to Assume a Bigger Role' With Raiders
