There’s been no shortage of praise for rookie tight end Kyle Pitts since he was selected by the Falcons with the No. 4 overall pick in the 2021 draft. Pitts is an elite talent, however, he’s facing some considerably high expectations, especially now that Julio Jones is in Tennessee.
Add Hall of Fame tight end Tony Gonzalez to the long list of NFL analysts buying in to Pitts’ potential. Gonzalez, a former first-round selection himself, spent his final five seasons in the league with in Atlanta (2009-2013). Gonzalez sat down with CBS’ Jeff Kerr and spoke about what Pitts needs to do in order to live up to the lofty expectations.
“Just work (laughing), that’s the blueprint,” said Gonzalez. “Michael Jordan, Julio Jones, Tom Brady, LeBron James. These guys just go to work every single day. Go out there before practice and catch some balls. When the defense is going 7-on-7, go catch some more balls — don’t take a knee. After practice, catch some more balls and watch the film. Just be obsessed with being the best player you can be.”
Pitts has made the effort this offseason to get in extra work. Whether it be on an individual level with fellow players throughout the league, or showing up at the first annual “Tight End University,” Pitts clearly has an eagerness to improve.
“If he does that, and he stays healthy — the sky’s the limit,” continued Gonzalez. “He’ll be an All-Pro tight end for a long time. He’ll set records. He’ll do incredible stuff. I watched a preseason game where he caught a flat route and took it up the sideline and I was like ‘Oh my gosh, this kid’s special.’ He can be right up there with George Kittle and Travis kelce very soon. It might take him a year or two, but I wouldn’t be surprised if he gets close to that by the end of the season.”
While many expect Pitts to put up 1,000 or more yards his rookie season, it may be best to temper your expectations. The only tight end to ever put up 1,000 yards in his rookie year was Mike Ditka in 1961. He did this by pulling in 30 percent of his team’s completions. It is safe to say, even with modern inflated passing numbers, getting over 1,000 yards is a tough ask. Jeremy Shockey’s 2002 rookie season could be what we see from Pitts in 2021.
