Atlanta Falcons' Kyle Pitts Showing 'Progress' After Injury-Ravaged Season

Atlanta Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts has played in just 23 games since his promising rookie season due to his injuries. Still, if his recent performance has anything to show for it, he is potentially returning to his best.

Since being selected No. 4 overall in the 2020 NFL Draft, Atlanta Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts hasn't quite lived up to the billing of being one of the first players taken in his class, at least outside of his rookie season. 

Following the 1,026-yard rookie year that saw him earn his first and only Pro Bowl appearance, the former Florida Gator has compiled just 905 yards in 23 games. Yet, there have been flashes of the player that the Falcons drafted, and one of those showed up in Sunday's 29-25 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

With the Falcons trailing the Buccaneers 10-3 midway through the second quarter, Pitts broke free, hauling in a 36-yard touchdown pass from Desmond Ridder to bring the two teams level. 

BREAKING: Kyle Pitts scored a touchdown 🚨

(via @NFL)pic.twitter.com/tEzeJmeMZX

— B/R Gridiron (@brgridiron) December 10, 2023

“I think it’s progress every week. I do, which is great. Like I said, nobody’s celebrating victories," Falcons coach Arthur Smith said of Pitts's health following Sunday's loss. "I promise you that, but you’re seeing a lot of these young guys, and everybody gets involved. That’s kind of where we want to be. ... We stayed aggressive and showed some different actions we hadn’t shown before, but I felt like everybody got involved. Certainly, Drake had a heck of a game. It was good to see Kyle going. Bijan in the run and the pass. So, that’s trending in the right direction."

Dec 10, 2023; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts (8) catches a pass for a touchdown against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the first half at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.   / Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

The big play from the third-year tight end was his longest reception of the season, surpassing the 34-yard catch he had in the season-opener versus the Carolina Panthers, as he made his way into the endzone for only the second time.

Sunday made it two weeks in a row where Pitts was a part of the Falcons' gameplan as he followed up his four catches for 51 yards versus the New York Jets with 57 yards on three receptions on Sunday.

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The recent uptick from Pitts comes after weeks where many questioned his true health status, coming off a season where he battled injuries in his 10 appearances before being sidelined for good with a torn MCL. 

While it is still unknown if Pitts is back to 100 percent health-wise following an injury-ravaged second season, his uptick in targets seems to suggest that " progress " is being made as the Falcons look to push for the playoffs.