'The Mental Game': Next Step in Kyle Pitts' Falcons Dominance

As head coach Arthur Smith said - as he said a few times last year - Pitts is just "scratching the surface.''

Kyle Pitts accomplished plenty in his strong rookie season, the No. 4 pick in the 2021 NFL Draft catching 68 passes for 1,026 yards and being chosen to the Pro Bowl.

But he's still just 21 years old, and as he approaches his second season, he's realizing there is a particular path to be taken that can make him an even more dominant player.

“Mentally, I’m trying to get better,” he said this week at Atlanta Falcons OTAs. “There’s always room for improvement. ... The mental side helps you play faster, just knowing what the defense is going to do.”

The physical gifts that Pitts brings to the table are obvious, unquestionable, maybe even unequaled. And he could get by on those things, and those things alone, if he had to.

But, as head coach Arthur Smith said - as he said a few times last year - Pitts is just "scratching the surface.''

Pitts will be the lead, obviously, in a tight end room with new guys, including vet Anthony Firkser (who Smith coached when they were at the Tennessee Titans) and rookie sixth-round pick John FitzPatrick.

"That room is unique," Smith said. "It's different than it was a year ago. I'm excited about it."

But it is keyed by Pitts.

He’s not facing the unknown,” Smith said. “You see Kyle, you saw him as he progressed through last season. I’ve said it many times, he’s just scratching the surface. You see a different player and mindset. He knows what to expect, what we expect from him. I’ve been really encouraged so far.”