It seems that before they've even touched the field together, new Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins and tight end Kyle Pitts have formed quite the bond with each other.
Cousins was one of the early — maybe too early — players to come to a deal during the legal tampering period when teams could reach out to players' representatives. That was likely due to Pitts reaching out and texting the former Vikings quarterback while he was on a Disney World vacation with his family.
“We're ready for you to take us to the promised land,” Pitts said, according to Daniel Flick at SI.
“Well, let's talk,” Cousins replied back.
That's how it started. Where it goes from there, we'll have to wait and see, at least until early September before we get any real sample of their connection on the field. But the future definitely seems promising in Atlanta for all parties involved, not excluding the rest of the Falcons team as a whole. Cousins is now officially a Falcon and perhaps will be for the rest of his career.
Pitts reaching out to Cousins does speak volumes, though. And so do his comments that Cousins spoke of in his introductory press conference with the Falcons on Wednesday.
Pitts, since coming to the Falcons in 2021, has always worn the No. 8. That, of course, was Cousins' number while he was with the Vikings, but also all the way back in high school (excluding his time when he was with the Commanders and wore the No. 12), making many curious as to who would be donning the jersey number in 2024.
It seems as if Cousins will be taking over the number with one request from his tight end: target him every game. Cousins offered to compensate Pitts for the number or make a donation to any charity of Pitts' choosing, but all he wanted in return for the coveted number was to get the ball thrown his way more.
Kyle Pitts hasn't lived up to the hype yet since joining the Falcons
Knowing what we know now about Pitts and his outreach to a then-free agent Cousins, he knows what we all know: that he hasn't lived up to his expectations.
Coming out of the University of Florida, Pitts was viewed as a can't-miss prospect, labeled as a “unicorn” and one of the best players overall in the 2021 NFL Draft. He was drafted No. 4 overall by the Falcons, the highest-drafted tight end in NFL history. So shouldn't that mean he should be making history?
Pitts' first professional season was promising for a bright future. He caught 68 receptions on 110 targets for 1,026 yards and just one touchdown. His receiving yards were good enough for third-best among all tight ends that season, while his yards per reception (15.1) were at the top. But that was all under then-franchise quarterback Matt Ryan in his last year with the team. Pitts would then have to move on to three other quarterbacks over the next two seasons.
Being thrown to by Marcus Mariota, Taylor Heinicke, and Desmond Ridder over the last two years, along with a knee injury that cost him a large portion of his season last year, Pitts' numbers took a massive dip. To make matters worse, the offense was a run-heavy scheme, architected by then-head coach Arthur Smith.
In 2022 and 2023, Pitts averaged 12.6 yards per reception, dropping 3 1/2 yards from his rookie season. His yardage for those two seasons combined was also three yards under his total from 2021. He has increased his touchdown total by one every season, but that still gives him just six in his career.
Kyle Pitts knows that Kirk Cousins is the answer to save his career
It could have been any of the Falcons players that reached out to Cousins right before he was about to ride the Guardians of the Galaxy ride in Epcot. But it was Pitts. The tight end knows what he came in with from Florida. He knows the human highlight reel he was in Gainesville and the one he has yet to be in Atlanta. That's why this partnership was a must, and that Pitts didn't want to wait for some potential rookie taken out of the draft or another should-be backup turned starter to be behind center in 2024. Pitts wanted a proven commodity.
It's understandable why the Falcons tight end would want Cousins as his quarterback. Almost 27 percent of Cousins' passes were targeted at tight ends last season, which was ranked fifth in the NFL, per Zachary Pereles at CBSSports. In the two seasons before, with TJ Hockenson and Tyler Conklin, each ranked in the top 15 in targets for tight ends. This could be a match made in football heaven.
Are we about to see the best version of Kyle Pitts? The one that we all thought we would see coming out of college. We should because if not, he's not the talented tight end we thought he would be. It seems odd to say, but this is a prove-it type year for the 23-year-old.
Follow Us
Subscribe