Falcons' Kyle Pitts Reveals How Arthur Smith Making Him Better

Pitts has nothing but appreciation for Atlanta's second-year head coach.

No matter what happens, Atlanta Falcons head coach Arthur Smith and tight end Kyle Pitts will always be tied to each other. After all, Smith used his first draft pick on Pitts, making him the highest drafted tight end in league history.

The two endured their inaugural season in Atlanta together, experiencing the highs and lows that come in rookie seasons, be it for a coach or a player. They enter year two with more familiarity not only with each other, but the team as a whole. According to Pitts, that hasn't changed the way Smith coaches him. 

“He’s coaching me the same, that part isn't changing. Still coaching me hard and bringing the best out of me," Pitts stated on the Rich Eisen Show. "So, obviously, I appreciate that. (I’m) just taking a more mature step and I feel like he’s trying to help me along the way.”

Smith is known for his high usage of tight ends, and his overall affinity for the position paired with Pitts' special traits proved to be a perfect match. Pitts posted the second-most receiving yards ever by a rookie tight end en route to the Pro Bowl and is poised to assert himself as a star this season.

Still, Smith continues to teach the 21-year-old valuable lessons about the game. Smith knows Pitts' talent and is pushing him to reach greater heights.

“(Smith) holds me to a high standard. Every detail matters, every snap matters, so just trying to help me be the best player I can be," said Pitts. "He’ll pull me aside after practice and say, ‘just watch some film and maybe look at it this way,’ and it might just be something I’ll go back and watch tape or whatever he tries telling me to fix, I’ll make sure I fix it and don’t make that mistake again.”

Smith and Pitts have a special relationship. For the coach, you can only have one first draft pick and for the player, you can only be drafted once. The Falcons will be hoping the two can parlay their relationship into great success in the win-loss column over the next several years.