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FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — Atlanta Falcons tight finish Kyle Pitts is out for the season after having surgical procedure on Tuesday to restore the MCL in his proper knee, Falcons coach Arthur Smith mentioned Wednesday.
Pitts had injured the knee within the second half of Atlanta’s win over Chicago on Nov. 20 and missed Sunday’s loss to Washington. Smith mentioned once they initially had the prognosis of his harm, they thought it will be shut relating to whether or not he might return this yr, after which despatched him to particular knee consultants to make additional determinations.
Pitts posted an image in his Instagram story late Tuesday night time of him with a brace and wrap on his proper knee after surgical procedure with “Day 1” written on the picture.
Smith mentioned he believes the harm won’t have influence on Pitts’ 2023 season and so they count on him to be good to go by then. Whether or not that’s the begin of offseason exercises stays a query.
“We’ll simply must see,” Smith mentioned. “Nothing that issues us for actual video games within the season.”
The 22-year-old Pitts was a Professional Bowler as a rookie in 2021 and have become the second rookie tight finish in NFL historical past to have over 1,000 yards in his first yr within the league.
Taking part in in a unique fashion of offense in his second season, Pitts’ numbers dropped. He had 28 catches for 356 yards and two touchdowns in 10 video games in 2022 and even earlier than the knee harm in November, he had been coping with a hamstring harm that value him one recreation in October.
Smith, after Pitts was injured, mentioned his star tight finish had been enjoying by means of so much within the 2022 season, one thing evidenced by how he would – or wouldn’t – be capable of open up at high velocity on outdoors routes.
“He had clearly larger statistical numbers within the passing recreation a yr in the past,” Smith mentioned. “We have been a a lot completely different workforce in a unique place. The place you noticed a variety of development in a variety of different jobs we requested him to do. Actually there are issues that you just want would have gone completely different, I believe that is most likely yearly, however you possibly can see that development as a participant as he is turn out to be a extra full participant.”
Quite a lot of that needed to do with how Atlanta has performed this season – far more reliant on the run than the go – and the will of each Pitts and the teaching employees to make Pitts a extra full tight finish as a substitute of a pass-only receiving tight finish.
Within the offseason, Pitts labored closely on his blocking and it was one thing the second-year participant took immense satisfaction in, telling ESPN earlier this season that blocking is “one thing that I take private as a result of it is at all times ‘He is only a receiver. He does not need to block.’ “
Atlanta ran behind him this season far more than it did a yr in the past. And it is a part of why Smith was happy with the season Pitts had, even when the statistical numbers did not present.
Pitts confirmed that extra in 2022 in a scheme that may ask extra of tight ends that some others within the NFL. It is the mix of what Pitts confirmed in 2021 in a extra pass-heavy offense and in 2022 in a extra run-heavy one which helps give Smith confidence for Pitts’ future in 2023 and past.
“The most effective factor is you are not wishing or hoping,” Smith mentioned. “You realize he is finished it and you recognize he is made different positive aspects in numerous areas of what we have requested him to take action you are very assured and optimistic about predicting the long run.
“You possibly can’t predict the whole lot, however you’ve got bought proof and he is made a lot development and he is such an impactful participant, whether or not he touches the ball or does not.”
With Pitts out for the season, Atlanta has appeared to a mix of tight ends MyCole Pruitt, Anthony Firkser and Parker Hesse together with fullback Keith Smith and operating again Cordarrelle Patterson, amongst others, to assist fill the varied roles he had throughout the workforce.
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