Falcons’ Kyle Pitts has ‘a lot he wants to show the world,’ but how quickly can he?

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — Kyle Pitts wore a big grin after stepping off the Falcons’ practice field Wednesday morning.

The reason? The planned 2024 debut of Pennsylvania-based convenience store chain Wawa in the Atlanta area.

“I hope they hear me, they say it’s supposed to come here in 2024, and I will be the first customer,” the third-year tight end said. “I love the food.”

Pitts was more circumspect about the bigger topic of the day — his first appearance on the practice field since suffering an MCL tear against the Chicago Bears on Nov. 11, 2022.

“It felt good,” he said after the Falcons’ first day of training camp workouts.

Pitts described himself as “pretty close” to 100 percent. He wore a brace on his right leg that he called “precautionary.”

“It’s great being back out there, like riding a bike a little bit,” he said. “Just doing whatever they ask me to do and doing it to the best of my ability.”

Kyle Pitts (and brace) at Atlanta practice Wednesday morning. pic.twitter.com/wDYpT51OvO

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Head coach Arthur Smith declined to say exactly what the Falcons will ask Pitts to do and when they will ask him to do it, but they are confident Pitts will be ready for the Sept. 10 season opener against the Carolina Panthers. Pitts spent part of Wednesday’s practice working one-on-one with tight ends coach Justin Peelle but did get snaps in a seven-on-seven drill.

“You’re not going to ask him to do 100 plays per day,” Smith said. “We will just build on it every day. We’re not playing a game tomorrow. We’ll be smart, but the fact that he’s out there practicing is a very encouraging sign.”

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Pitts, the No. 4 pick in the 2021 draft, has 96 catches for 1,382 yards and three touchdowns in 27 career games in Atlanta.

“The unicorn, that’s my guy, man,” Falcons running back Cordarrelle Patterson said. “I’m happy to see him out there just like everybody else. What he did his rookie year is unbelievable. I can’t wait to see what he can do his third year.”

In 10 games last year, Pitts had 28 catches for 356 yards and two touchdowns.

“I know he’s got a lot he wants to show the world,” Patterson said. “He probably won’t say he’s got a lot to prove, but he’s working his ass off each and every day. I’m just excited for him, happy he’s back.”

Pitts did not realize how badly he was injured when he left the Mercedes-Benz Stadium field during the Bears game. It wasn’t until he saw the result of an MRI that he realized his season was finished.

“It was just like, ‘Damn,’ and you get over it, get the surgery done, get back to work, get back strong so I can get back to who I was,” he said.

Pitts consulted veteran players who have returned from similar injuries for tips on how to approach his rehab, he said. The key for him was “staying close to my Bible, just praying every morning, going to the rehab and attacking it every day,” he said.

His teammates don’t doubt he’ll return to full form soon.

“He’s still getting back. He’s still working,” wide receiver Drake London said. “Once he heals up, he’s going to be the same Kyle Pitts we all know.”

Pitts has yet to catch a pass from Falcons starting quarterback Desmond Ridder, who didn’t take over the starting job until after Pitts’ injury.

“He’s been in here working since last season,” Ridder said. “Ever since his injury he’s done nothing but try to get back out there with us.”

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The 6-foot-4, 246-pound Pitts was a welcome sight for Ridder on Wednesday.

“It’s nice just seeing another big body out there running across the middle of the field,” Ridder said. “No matter whether you’re a short quarterback or a tall quarterback, it’s hard to see some of those smaller guys running across the middle of the field. When you have a big body like Kyle, it makes it a lot easier to see the field.”

Pitts was a limited participant this summer when Ridder and the team’s pass catchers convened for extra work.

“Our relationship is growing. We’re doing stuff on the side,” Pitts said. “He’s stepping up and being more vocal and just communicating to everybody that he’s the quarterback and everybody has to follow what he says.”

(Photo: John Bazemore / Associated Press)

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