New Season, Same Story for Former Florida Gators TE Kyle Pitts

Former Florida Gators tight end Kyle Pitts has a new coach, offensive coordinator and quarterback with the Atlanta Falcons, and he still lacks targets.

Former Florida Gators tight end Kyle Pitts has just eight catches with the Atlanta Falcons in three games. / Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

When the Atlanta Falcons selected former Florida Gators tight end Kyle Pitts with the No. 4 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, they made him the highest drafted tight end in history.

Pitts was coming off a spectacular, but shortened season with the Gators with 43 catches for 770 yards and 12 touchdowns in just-eight games. Pitts quickly rewarded the Falcons' faith in him, joining Mike Ditka as the only rookie tight ends in history to eclipse 1,000 yards.

It's been a rough go of it for the 23-year old since.

For Pitts, the theme of 2024 has been a new year, but the same story.

Pitts, Atlanta's uber-talented offensive weapon known as "The Unicorn," has been chasing the production of his 1,000-yard rookie season in 2021 for the past three years.

The 23-year-old Pitts generated considerable-offseason buzz from teammates and coaches, who saw a healthy, happy and explosive version of the former University of Florida standout.

But through the season's first three games, Pitts has only eight catches for 105 yards and a touchdown. Across 17 games, those numbers would translate to 45 catches for 595 yards and five touchdowns -- decent, but not No. 4-overall good.

He's seen just 11 total targets.

Falcons offensive coordinator Zac Robinson said it's difficult to say why Pitts hasn't seen the volume many expected, but there are plenty of factors at play -- some of which are out of Atlanta's control.

"Coverage can dictate so many different things of where the football goes," Robinson said Wednesday. "Of course, you're wanting to get the ball in his hands. "

Quarterback Kirk Cousins connected with Pitts on a 50-yard gain in last week's 22-17 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. But Pitts caught only one other pass, a nine-yard pickup in the fourth quarter.

Robinson said the explosive play was huge, as much for momentum as helping the Falcons put points on the board, and Pitts added Friday he's hoping to build on it.

Robinson thinks he will.

"He'll continue to get the ball in the flow of the offense as it goes," Robinson said. "I know there were some opportunities where he could have more the other night, too. So he's doing a great job. He played really fast the other night.

"I think the more he can be detail-oriented, play as fast as he did, the ball is naturally just going to find him."

Pitts has another chance for the ball to find him at 1 p.m. Sunday, when the Falcons (1-2) host the Saints (2-1) at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

It's another page in a rivalry that hasn't been kind to Pitts, who has 11 catches for 138 yards and no scores in five games against the Saints. Atlanta is 1-4 in those contests.

Pitts said he expects a heavy dose of man coverage from the Saints, which means it's up to him to win his matchup -- and while he's historically struggled statistically against New Orleans, nothing that's happened in the past will be on his mind entering Sunday.

"Each week is different," Pitts said. "Because each team has different players, different personnel, different scheme. So, just getting open each week and each rep so [Cousins] sees you."

The Falcons' offense is searching for a breakthrough. Perhaps no player embodies that more than Pitts -- and with a key early season swing in the race for the NFC South title, Atlanta fancies that breakthrough sooner rather than later for the former Florida Gators star.