In terms of production, Atlanta Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts only had a so-so season in 2023. But the youngster still views the year as a success.

Why? Because he was able to stay healthy.

“A return to play. A return to, my goal was to finish the year out and healthily get to the end,” Pitts told Michael Rothstein of ESPN. “To get to the 18-game mark, a full year after the injury, that was something I was looking forward to. But the season, that was something that obviously had its ups and downs, its ebbs and flows and it just comes with it. But for the most part it’s a lot more ups than downs.”

Pitts missed seven games in 2022 due to a knee injury, but was able to play in every contest this season. He caught 53 passes for 667 yards and three touchdowns this year.

The 23-year-old, who played his collegiate football at the University of Florida, was selected by the Falcons with the fourth overall pick of the 2021 NFL Draft, making him the highest-selected tight end in league history.

He participated in every game during his rookie campaign and was brilliant, hauling in 68 receptions for 1,026 yards and a score. That’s why his 2023 production looked rather tame by comparison.

In his second season, Pitts had a rather subpar year, snaring 28 balls for 356 yards while reaching the end zone twice. But, again, he played in just 10 contests due to injury.

The Falcons still have to decide whether or not they will exercise Pitts’ fifth-year option for 2025, which would guarantee him a base salary of over $10 million.

But Pitts isn’t focusing on that.

“I control what I can control. I just go out here and play,” Pitts said. “Learn, practice and give the best effort I can. And that’s it.”

Hopefully for Kyle Pitts and the Falcons, 2024 is both a healthy and productive campaign for him.

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