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Falcons' Kyle Pitts Had Message for Fans Worried About Week 1 Injury Status

Pitts was limited during the Falcons' Wednesday practice due to a hamstring injury.

Tim Capurso

Tight end Kyle Pitts on the field during Atlanta Falcons OTAs in June.
Tight end Kyle Pitts on the field during Atlanta Falcons OTAs in June. / Dale Zanine-Imagn Images
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Atlanta Falcons fans—and fantasy football managers—were dealt a scare on Wednesday when tight end Kyle Pitts was listed as a limited participant during the team's practice session due to a hamstring injury.

But Pitts, a popular breakout pick in both the fantasy and NFL spaces, is here to reassure everyone that things are going to be alright. The No. 4 overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft took to X (formerly Twitter) later Wednesday night and posted a message reassuring fans that he'll be on the field on Sunday for the team's opening game of the 2024 season at home against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Take a deep breath everyone! Judging by this message, it's likely that Pitts will be back out on the practice field on Thursday and Friday—and again come Sunday.

Pitts, after becoming just the second rookie ever to amass 1,000-plus receiving yards in 2021—joining Pro Football Hall of Famer Mike Ditka—suffered a season-ending MCL injury in 2022, then appeared in all 17 games for Atlanta in 2023, though he seemed to be battling through various ailments at times. Weighed down by injuries and poor quarterback play, Pitts produced just 1,023 receiving yards combined in '22 and '23 after totaling 1,026 as a rookie.

Now, seemingly healthy and with a Pro Bowl-caliber quarterback in Kirk Cousins set to throw him passes, optimism is the highest it's been for Pitts since his first season in the league.

And it looks like fans won't have to wait long to see that optimism potentially rewarded.

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Tim Capurso

TIM CAPURSO

Tim Capurso is a staff writer on the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. Prior to joining SI in November 2023, he wrote for RotoBaller and ClutchPoints, where he was the lead editor for MLB, college football and NFL coverage. A lifelong Yankees and Giants fan, Capurso grew up just outside New York City and now lives near Philadelphia. When he's not writing, he enjoys reading, exercising and spending time with his family, including his three-legged cat Willow, who, unfortunately, is an Eagles fan.

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