Kyle Pitts had a stellar first half against the Buccaneers on Thursday.
During Week 15’s “Thursday Night Football” game, the Falcons tight end amassed 111 yards on six receptions with two receiving touchdowns.
Both Pitts touchdowns came in the second quarter on short red zone passes by Atlanta quarterback Kirk Cousins. He went on to score a third touchdown in the fourth quarter.
Pitts’ performance came after he was previously listed as questionable ahead of Thursday’s game, as he hadn’t logged a single full practice all week while dealing with a knee issue.
The 25-year-old has yet to miss a game this season, and he has been one of the league’s best tight ends: His 62 receptions and 631 receiving yards both rank in the top five for the position.
Pitts, who is in a contract year, spent his entire five-year NFL career in Atlanta and amassed 3,282 receiving yards in addition to a Pro Bowl appearance in his rookie season.
Despite holding a mediocre 4-9 record on the season heading into Thursday’s game, Pitts has emerged as one of the Falcons’ best offensive players, with offensive coordinator Zac Robinson saying he’s “our No. 1 guy that we’re targeting.” according to ESPN’s Marc Raimondi.
Earlier in the season, Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr., who will be out the rest of the year with a partially torn left anterior cruciate ligament, praised Pitts, saying he planned to lean heavily on the tight end throughout the year.
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“See, today we gave the ball to KP,” Penice said after the opening day of the retreat in July. “There will be many.”
“He worked hard. He had a great summer and I know he said he feels really good when he got to camp. I can see it,” he added.
