'Take Us to Promised Land': Kyle Pitts Led Falcons' Kirk Cousins Recruiting Effort
Kirk Cousins was wandering through EPCOT at Disney World, standing in line for Guardians of the Galaxy, when his phone buzzed.
Cousins glanced down to a text from an unknown number.
"What's up, Kirko? This is Kyle Pitts," the message read. "How are you?"
Cousins, then a free agent, said most people call him 'Kirko' or anything other than 'Kirk.' He thought he knew where Pitts, the Atlanta Falcons' standout tight end, was going with his message.
The veteran signal caller guessed correctly.
"We're ready for you to take us to the promised land," Pitts said.
"Well, let's talk," Cousins responded.
There were still multiple weeks before NFL free agency officially began and the legal negotiating period opened, but Pitts wasn't wasting any time.
The 23-year-old Pitts was the first Falcons player to reach out to Cousins. In a sense, the interaction helped plant the seeds for Atlanta's concerted pursuit of Cousins upon the start of free agency.
"It's always fun to be wanted," Cousins said. "I appreciated that, and he did a great job kind of leading the charge."
Cousins and Pitts first met at the Pro Bowl after the 2021 season, though due to the half-speed nature of the event, there wasn't much to take away.
Still, Cousins saw what he needed to know the caliber of player Pitts can become.
"There were a couple times with his height, you throw him a fade route or a slant, you see the size, the target he is, and think, 'Boy, this guy can be pretty dangerous,'" Cousins said.
At the time, Pitts was a high-flying rookie who validated Atlanta's decision to make him the highest-drafted tight end in league history, posting the second-most receiving yards by a rookie tight end with 1,026.
The past two years have netted much lighter returns.
Pitts has 81 receptions for 1,023 yards and five touchdowns in 25 games over the past two years. His 2022 season was cut short by a torn MCL, which limited his 2023 offseason and lingered into game action.
Still, perhaps Pitts' biggest problem was inconsistent quarterback play. As a rookie, he was on the receiving end of passes from former NFL MVP Matt Ryan.
In the two years since, he's seen three different quarterbacks - Marcus Mariota, Desmond Ridder and Taylor Heinicke, none of whom figure to be Week 1 starters this fall.
Cousins, a four-time Pro Bowler, has the track record to help Pitts revitalize his career after two disappointing acts. Pitts recognized that and put considerable effort into making the marriage possible.
With Cousins secured, attention turns to the next priority - capitalizing on the opportunity.
Cousins and his family drove to Atlanta from their home in Michigan on Tuesday. For much of the drive, Cousins had one hand on the wheel and the other on his phone, with a barrage of Falcons players and staff members coming through on speaker.
Be it phone calls with Pitts, receiver Drake London and offensive tackles Jake Matthews and Kaleb McGary or texts with running back Bijan Robinson, Cousins talked with many key cogs on Atlanta's offense.
The 35-year-old particularly enjoyed getting to know his young playmakers, who he said immediately stand out about the offense's construction.
It was a good introduction - but the real work starts now.
Cousins wants to watch every catch made by Pitts, Robinson and London from their college and professional career.
He knows the group will still be new come September - but through intentionality, bonding and work both on the field and in the film room, Cousins hopes the on-field product looks like they've played together before.
"I want to study these guys and I want to do it with them," Cousins said. "I believe if we do that, we're going to like where we are as we move forward."
All the while, there's a not-so-serious topic to attack: who gets jersey No. 8?
Cousins has worn it since high school. Pitts currently owns it, though he teased a return to No. 84, which he wore in college, after Cousins agreed to sign with Atlanta.
Pitts texted Cousins about the dilemma. Cousins responded with precisely what one would expect from a leader.
"I said, 'Kyle, I want to be a good teammate. That's ultimately what I want to be. If this is the number you want to pivot from - great, let me know. If it's a number you'd like to keep, great, no problem - I can find another number,'" Cousins said.
The decision, however, may come down to more than whoever wants the number more.
Cousins said he thinks the NFL may dip into the discussion, as players who change their jersey number are forced to buy out the remaining jerseys with their old number.
While the rule complicates the picture, Cousins remains steadfast on doing right by Pitts - though their conversation over the number created an insightful yet playful back-and-forth between the new teammates.
"I'll write a check, whatever foundation. I'm not going to let you just give me the number, I want to make it worth your while," Cousins said.
"I just want targets every game," Pitts said jokingly while flashing a wink.
"Good answer, good answer," Cousins responded. "We'll see how it all plays out, but it might be bigger than us."
The jersey question remains unsolved.
The chemistry question, however, appears answered - and reflects encouragingly as Pitts hopes to remind the NFL that he's still the same big, dangerous target Cousins saw two years ago.
