Falcons TE Kyle Pitts Returns to Practice; Will He Play vs. 49ers?
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The Atlanta Falcons' 21-15 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last Sunday came after three quarters of offensive ineptitude, as Atlanta was shutout through the game's first 45 minutes.
Not a part of the offense's struggles was Pro Bowl tight end Kyle Pitts, who was ruled out well in advance due to a hamstring injury. However. signs are pointing towards the Tampa Bay game, which was Pitts' first missed game as a professional, being a one-time occurrence, as the 21-year-old returned to practice on Wednesday.
Pitts was limited in his first action since Atlanta's Week 4 victory over the Cleveland Browns. Falcons coach Arthur Smith said the team will "see how it goes all week" before deciding on Pitts' status for this Sunday's game against the San Francisco 49ers, but the second-year tight end already views the decision as a done deal.
When asked Wednesday if he feels ready to play vs. San Francisco, Pitts confidently nodded in his head, sending a quiet and clear message that the answer is "yes."
Perhaps nobody is looking forward to Pitts' return to the field than the former Florida Gators star himself, who said that he watched the Falcons vs. Buccaneers game from home. The experience was not an enjoyable one for the highest-drafted tight end in league history.
"It was very tough sitting at home," Pitts said. "It was my first game (watching at home) - it didn't feel right ... I could see it from a different standpoint, but for the main part, it sucked."
Pitts shared that while he did not throw anything at the television, his emotions were running high.
"I screamed a couple times," said Pitts, admitting that the late-game penalty on defensive tackle Grady Jarrett was one of them. "But that's football, that's probably every fan that screams. I felt like a fan."
Pitts is in the midst of a difficult start to the season, following up his 1,000-yard rookie campaign with just 10 receptions for 150 yards, most of which came in the Falcons' 27-23 Week 3 victory over the Seattle Seahawks, when Pitts had five catches for 87 yards.
Still, he's a significant part to what Atlanta wants to do offensively, and quarterback Marcus Mariota is thrilled to have the 6-6, 245-pound weapon back on the field.
"(It's) great," Mariota said when discussing Pitts' return. "Anytime you get a playmaker of his ability back, it's very, very important for us as an offense."
The Falcons would very much like to have Pitts back for Sunday's game against San Francisco, who holds one of the NFL's best defenses.
But, once more, nobody wants Pitts on the gridiron quite as much as himself, because it simply beats another Sunday of watching the game from the couch.
Atlanta and San Francisco kick off at 1 p.m. in Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
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