The Atlanta Falcons are poised and ready to make a push for their first division title since their 2016 Super Bowl run. With a giant440 million dollar decision made at quarterback this offseason, the Falcons have put their chips into the middle of the table. It’s Michael Penix Jr’s. team to lead, and even then, Pro Football Focus doesn’t believe he is the most important player for Atlanta in 2025.
“Every year, players throughout the NFL reach a crossroads in their careers and can single-handedly make or break the success of their team’s season,” PFF wrote.
For PFF, that player is tight end Kyle Pitts. Pitts is entering a contract year after Atlanta decided to pick up his fifth-year option. The top five draft pick is yet to meet his rookie season production level, and PFF believes he is in desperate need of a good year.
“Pitts seems to be on his last legs in Atlanta, with trade rumors floating around throughout the spring,” the website wrote. “He enters the 2025 season in the final year of his rookie contract after posting a career-low 63.9 PFF receiving grade last season. Pitts needs to find his form as a receiver with Michael Penix Jr. now as his quarterback. If he doesn’t, the former fourth-overall pick could struggle to maintain a lengthy NFL career, especially because of his lack of blocking impact.”
Pitts Has Gotten Worse Every Year
Kyle Pitts exploded on the scene in 2021. He pulled down a career high in receptions, tallying 68 on a career high amount of targets (110). He eclipsed 1,000 yards in his first 17 games, something he has not come close to doing since. His second highest total was in year three, when he scampered for 667.
According to PFF, the analytics company trusted by the NFL and many NCAA football teams, his all around play has gone down every year as well. In 2021, he recorded an 80.3 positional grade as a rookie. The next year, in a ten game season cut early by injuries, his grade was a 73.3. The next year, a 68.1 before it plummeted this last season to a 59.6.
In an article published in the middle of last season, SI headlined an article “Atlanta Falcons have a Kyle Pitts Problem”. The article wrote about Pitts’ continued lack of production about half way through a season that had started off well for the Falcons.
“As mentioned, the issue is not a physical one,” Terrance Biggs wrote. “So, where does the issue lay? First, you have to look at the hands. Through four seasons, Pitts dropped thirteen passes… Yet, he sits fifth in catches and yardage. When a new quarterback chooses to throw the ball elsewhere, that speaks volumes to where the offense sees Pitts at the moment.”
Raheem Morris Speaks On Pitts’ Expectations
Falcons head coach Raheem Morris has been on NFL staffs for a quarter of a decade. As such, he knows a little more than the average person about the pressure that comes with being an NFL player. Last Tuesday Morris addressed the media and answered questions about Pitts’ expectations heading into the new season.
“It’s always hard to accomplish the goals that everybody else wants for him,” Morris said last Tuesday. “Some of that pressure that lives on his chest is really accumulated by himself and us — and us, I mean, us as the media, because of how high he was drafted and how he’s projected.”
“We’re very critical of a guy who had about 700 yards receiving and whatever amount of receptions he’s had because of the spot that he got drafted, and rightfully so,” Morris said. “So, there’s some of the pressure that we all put on ourselves.
