Already proving what a difference-maker and leader he can be, Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins recognizes the talents of tight end Kyle Pitts. The soon-to-be 36-year-old signal-caller has been in the league since 2012 and knows how to get the most out of his teammates and what tools aren't being properly utilized, via team reporter Will McFadden.
“What I'm encouraging [Pitts] with is to use that length as much as he can,” Cousins said after a recent joint practice between the Falcons and Miami Dolphins.
Blessed with a 6-foot-6 frame, Pitts has a wingspan of just over 83 inches, placing him in the 98th percentile.
Pitts is approaching his fifth-year club option for the 2025 season, so he's got tens of millions of reasons to make the most of his new quarterback. Since his 2021 breakout rookie season, Pitts hasn't quite hit the mark. Perhaps a change in approach, as Cousins suggested, will help the Falcons' tight end meet the high expectations surrounding the Falcons.
“I always say, ‘Did you run as fast as you possibly can and did you snag it with your hands aggressive? Those are the two things I challenge him on,” Cousins continued. “I said, ‘If you do that, the production can’t help but happen.'”
How Kirk Cousins can change Falcons, Kyle Pitts
While offseason headlines focused on how the Falcons drafted Michael Penix Jr., Cousins is a winner with playoff experience. He's passed for over 4,000 yards in seven of his last nine years. He's thrown for at least 25 touchdowns in every year he's been healthy and a starter. That's a big step up from what the Falcons have had in the quarterback position since Matt Ryan departed.
Cousins's healthy return from last year's Achilles tear is still a work in progress. Undoubtedly, his leadership, locker room presence and veteran know-how are a stabilizing force in an offense full of young weapons. Cousins will provide the Falcons a steady hand to players like Bijan Robinson, Drake London and, of course, Pitts.
“And then I challenge [Pitts if] I don’t feel like he’s running as fast as he possibly can. I say, ‘That wasn’t good enough. It was fast enough for a lot of tight ends but, for you, it’s got to be faster.’”
Earlier this offseason, Justin Jefferson spoke glowingly of his former quarterback.
“I’m grateful for what he has brought to me, and the things that we have accomplished together.”
Expect the same attitude of gratitude from the Falcons sooner rather than later.
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