Firkser a Voice of Experience for Falcons

The former Tennessee Titans tight end has significantly more NFL experience -- although not bigger statistics -- than all of his new position mates.

Dale Zanine/USA Today Sports

In some ways, Kyle Pitts already has done as much in the NFL as Anthony Firkser. Statistically speaking, at least.

Pitts, the fourth overall pick in the 2021 draft, was one of three NFL tight ends and one of three rookies at any position who topped 1,000 receiving yards last season. He finished with 1,026 yards on 68 receptions.

Firsker entered the NFL as an undrafted rookie in 2017 and did not even play in a regular-season game until 2018. He has never caught more than 39 passes in a season and just last season he pushed his career receiving yards total past 1,000. He is currently at 1,107, all with the Tennessee Titans.

The time Firkser has spent in the league means something to Pitts, however. And now that the two are teammates with the Atlanta Falcons, Pitts wants to hear what Firkser has to say on just about everything they do.

“I’m learning from Firk,” Pitts said last week following a Falcons’ workout. “Firk has been in this for some years, and I’m just always wanting to get better. So, he’s been in Tennessee playing a different offense.

“I ask him questions almost every other play. I try and soak up as much knowledge as I can.”

Pitts is not the only one in at Atlanta who can learn from Firsker, who signed a free-agent deal with the Falcons on April 12 (it was a one-year deal work just over $1 million).

Four of their seven tight ends have never played in the regular season. The only other one who has is Parker Hesse, a converted defensive lineman who began that transition with the Titans in 2019. Hesse made his debut last season and appeared in eight games.

“It’s different, but it’s also great meeting new people,” Pitts said. “These are all great guys. We’re really close. And we got close fast, believe it or not. We hang out a lot. So, it’s a new feel. We’re trying to bring the camaraderie together as a team and build our chemistry.”

Part of the reason the Titans allowed Firkser to become a free agent this year is that he failed to live up to expectations last season, when he had a chance to be their No. 1 tight end. He finished with 34 receptions for 291 yards, both down from the previous season.

With Atlanta, there is no doubt that Pitts will be first on the depth chart and the first option on many passing plays. But Firkser will be the first one the other tight ends look to when they have questions.