Personal problems force Marvin Jones Jr. to leave the NFL; Lions confirm his departure

The 12-year veteran had just returned to Detroit.

Wide receiver Marvin Jones Jr. announced his departure from the Detroit Lions for family reasons through a post on Instagram. The team confirmed his release on its X, formerly Twitter, account without giving further reasons.

In the message, Jones expresses his gratitude and respect to the Ford family, owners of the Lions, the city of Detroit, his teammates, and coaches.

“To be brief, I am leaving the team to take care of personal family matters,” says the receiver, who did not participate in the Week 7 game that Detroit lost 6-38 to the Baltimore Ravens.

“Although this is not an easy decision, I cannot be the person/player I need to be for this team as well as take care of my family from afar,” the player explains in his letter.

He assures that the team and management“have been amazing, showing love and support for me and my family over the years, and this time is no different. For that I am appreciative.”

“To my brothers and coaches,” the message ends, “I will be rooting for you every step of the way! This is the year! Go get it!“

This was not Jones’ year

The 12-year veteran returned to the Lions in the offseason with a one-year, $3 million contract.

However, his return to Ford Field was not as expected. Apart from having been on the bench in the game against the Ravens for the first time this season, in six games, he only contributed five receptions and 35 yards, without scores.

For his career, Jones can boast 151 games, 118 as a starter, 547 catches, 7,421 yards, and 58 touchdowns.

Amon-Ra St. Brown, with three years in the League, and Kalif Raymond, in his second season, are experiencing significant growth in the professional circuit. In turn, rookie tight end Sam LaPorta has also proven to be a reliable target.

Additionally, Goff has the experienced hands of Jameson Williams and Josh Reynolds, with seven seasons in the NFL each.