Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Julio Jones returned to practice Friday and is expected to play in Sunday’s game against the Arizona Cardinals.
There was concern about Jones availability for the matchup versus the Cardinals after Falcons coach Dan Quinn told reporters on Thursday that his star wide receiver was sent home due to illness.
Jones has been among the few bright spots in a dismal season for Atlanta, which enters Sunday’s contest mired in a five-game losing streak.
In last week’s 34-20 setback at Green Bay, Jones had eight receptions for 106 yards and two touchdowns, pushing his NFL-best total to 1,429 receiving yards.
It was the ninth 100-yard game of the season and the seventh in the past eight contests for Jones, tying his own franchise record. He has all five of his touchdown catches over the past six games.
Jones also set an NFL record by becoming the first receiver in history with five consecutive seasons of at least 1,400 yards, eclipsing the mark he shared with Marvin Harrison.
The No. 6 overall pick of Atlanta in the 2011 NFL Draft, Jones is expected to be matched up against Arizona cornerback Patrick Peterson, who was drafted one spot ahead of him.
