Julio to miss 5th game of season as hamstring injury lingers

Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Julio Jones will miss his fifth game of the season Sunday versus the Tampa Bay Buccaneers because of a hamstring injury that has bothered him all year, according to team reporter Kelsey Conway.

Jones came into the season with a bad hamstring and aggravated the injury in Week 2 against the Dallas Cowboys. He sat out Weeks 3, 5, 12, and 14, and will now miss Week 15.

When he's been on the field, Jones has been his typical, productive self. The 31-year-old has posted 51 catches for 771 yards and three touchdowns over nine appearances in 2020.

With the 4-9 Falcons out of the playoff race, it's unclear whether Atlanta will consider shutting Jones down for the remainder of the season. The Falcons close out the schedule against the Buccaneers, Kansas City Chiefs, and the Buccaneers again.