Falcons Star TE Kyle Pitts Relishes Matchups With 'Great' CB A.J. Terrell

Atlanta's second year phenom weighed on in facing Terrell every day in practice.

If the Atlanta Falcons are to exit their transitional phase and grow into a playoff contender, they'll need to draft and develop at a high level. Fortunately for the team, its last two first-round picks, cornerback A.J. Terrell and tight end Kyle Pitts, are quickly establishing themselves as franchise cornerstones.

Last season, Terrell was named second-team All-Pro, while Pitts posted the second-most receiving yards by a rookie tight end in NFL history. The two have garnered constant recognition for being among the best young players in the league.

While the rest of the talent on the Falcons roster is a bit spottier, having an offensive weapon and cover-corner as two of your best overall players is a major plus during offseason practices. As the saying goes, iron sharpens iron, and that's exactly how Pitts sees it.

“I go against (Terrell) a couple of times a day, and it’s great work every time," Pitts said. "He gets me better and I get him better. He's a great teammate to have to go against every day in practice."

While the matchups are surely back-and-forth between the two, Pitts got the better of Terrell on the final day of OTAs, making a full-extension catch for a touchdown:

Kyle Pitts lays out for the catch 😳 pic.twitter.com/SGJ23saWU0

— Atlanta Falcons (@AtlantaFalcons) June 15, 2022

After practice, Pitts seemed content with this phase of the offseason program, pointing out the competitive energy throughout the team. On his standout catch in particular, Pitts stated that "the whole defense didn't want me to score. But that's competition, we go in the locker room and laugh about it."

Moving forward, the Falcons will be reliant on Pitts and Terrell to help carry the franchise to new heights. In the meantime, the two will continue pushing each other every day in practice, a battle sure to pay off for them throughout the 2022 season and beyond.