When the Falcons drafted Kyle Pitts at No. 4 overall in the 2021 NFL draft, they knew they had a special offensive weapon. As a rookie, Pitts lived up to the hype, becoming only the second tight end in NFL history ever to catch at least 1,000 yards in their first season.
During Atlanta’s preseason game with the Jets (+4.5) on Monday night, Pitts showed that any already high expectations for his second season might be too low.
On the Falcons’ first possession, Pitts ran a go-route past Bryce Hall, a cornerback. If it wasn’t clear, a corner on a tight end is a mismatch in favor of the corner almost all the time. But not for Pitts, who blew by Hall so casually on a 52-yard bomb, you’d think he was pro football’s best receiver (and he might be!):
Kyle Pitts just being Kyle Pitts.#ATLvsNYJ || #DirtyBirds pic.twitter.com/14CPjE7WOw
— Atlanta Falcons (@AtlantaFalcons) August 23, 2022
Oh my goodness! Let’s see that replay, just so we can see Pitts beating a player, who’s supposed to have an advantage over him, like a drum:
Kyle Pitts is ridiculous. pic.twitter.com/cSp8KaClNc
— Field Yates (@FieldYates) August 23, 2022
Whether Pitts is a tight end, receiver, or jack-of-all-trades, it should never be that easy for a pass-catcher to positively toast a defensive back. But Pitts is no average pass-catcher, and plays like this are certainly only part of the start of his brilliant career.
NFL fans were blown away by Kyle Pitts' smooth route-running as a TE
Covering Kyle Pitts one on one is an unreasonable expectation to have for an NFL player imo
— Brett Kollmann (@BrettKollmann) August 23, 2022
Kyle Pitts is going to be a problem in this league pic.twitter.com/jqLjZcJLue
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) August 23, 2022
i dont think kyle pitts eventually entering the discussion for the best pass catcher in the league is out of the realm of possibility. not sure if a TE has held that title in the modern era. maybe gronk's second season?
— Steven Ruiz (@theStevenRuiz) August 23, 2022
That’s a TE beating a CORNER like that…@kylepitts__ is that guy
— Harry Douglas (@HDouglas83) August 23, 2022
When you’re in single coverage vs Kyle Pittspic.twitter.com/PBrsWOpZoL
— PFF Fantasy Football (@PFF_Fantasy) August 23, 2022
imagine not autodrafting Kyle Pitts anywhere in the 3rd round of fantasy drafts pic.twitter.com/Z4YeBAp6Cm
— “Reasonable” Kevin Tompkins (@ktompkinsii) August 23, 2022
1 target… 1 reception…52 yards for Kyle Pitts…
Thank you… and see you in the regular season vs Saints
pic.twitter.com/qoq5RY2FV5— Zach Klein (@ZachKleinWSB) August 23, 2022
Kyle Pitts is the Create-a-Player I used to make on Madden pic.twitter.com/Zl5qYzHLSU
— Kyle Odegard (@Kyle_Odegard) August 23, 2022
Kyle Pitts when he sees Man Coverage. pic.twitter.com/ntCdnddYDK
— The Dawgzilla (@TheDawgzilla) August 23, 2022
Kyle Pitts does not move like a tight end pic.twitter.com/t5EIWsty2y
— Jarad Evans (@PFF_Jarad) August 23, 2022
