FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — There's a sense of optimism about the future of the Atlanta Falcons' offense.
Michael Penix Jr. showed poise and promise in his first three NFL starts, finishing 12th in EPA per dropback and helping the Falcons average more than 27 points per game. He showed great chemistry with the two draft picks that preceded him in Atlanta — Bijan Robinson and Drake London, who enjoyed career years in 2024. Combine that with Darnell Mooney's impressive display in his first year with the team and an offensive line that is among the NFL's best, and there's a lot to like about the Falcons' current setup.
One key question surrounding Atlanta's offense, though, concerns the future of tight end Kyle Pitts. Another former draft pick — No. 4 in the 2021 NFL Draft — Pitts will enter the 2025 season on his fifth-year option with just one 1,000-yard season on his resume. Pitts has an impressive athletic profile, but the sum of the whole has not consistently matched up to the individual skills. Penix Jr. is the sixth starting quarterback Pitts has worked with in his career, and maybe he'll be the first since Matt Ryan to get him involved consistently in the offense.
"For him, it's believing in himself," Penix Jr. told Mike Florio and Chris Simms on PFT Live Wednesday. "For me, I'm going to believe in him."
As Penix Jr. approaches his first offseason as the team's starting quarterback, his leadership will be put to the test. It's important for Penix to develop a rapport with each of his pass-catchers after having a limited number of reps during his rookie season to do so. He said he's already been in contact with many of the Falcons' weapons and that they plan on getting to work fairly soon.
London has firmly established himself as the team's No. 1 wide receiver. Mooney proved to be a more-than-capable counterpart to London as the No. 2 receiver, and he showed the ability to take over games on his own last year. Robinson emerged as one of the most electric all-around weapons in his second NFL season, helping him secure his first spot in the Pro Bowl. Where does that leave Pitts, though? What role can he carve out amidst a group with a lot of options to like? The answer may depend on the bond developed between Pitts and Penix.
"I just talked to him the other day, and we just talked about some of the things that we want to do," Penix said on PFT Live. "It's like, 'Alright, I'm going to give you my all each and every day, and I want you to do the same.' Once we do that, our connection is going to continue to build. Just getting those full-speed reps, getting those reps together in practice and feeling comfortable with the game plan."
Pitts looked poised to take the next step in his development during a six-game stretch in the first half of the 2024 season. From Weeks 5-10, Pitts averaged four catches for 63 yards, and he had his first multi-touchdown game in the Week 8 win against Tampa Bay. That proved to be the high mark of the year, though, and Pitts ultimately finished with 47 receptions for 602 yards and four scores.
Atlanta's overtime loss to Washington in Week 17 provided a clear reason to believe the Penix-Pitts connection can be a fruitful one. With their hopes of winning the game coming down to a single fourth-and-goal play from the 13-yard line with 1:23 left on the clock, Penix ripped a pass into the arms of Pitts for the touchdown. It's the type of throw that takes a lot of trust in the receiver, and one demonstrative of how the two can beat defenses moving forward. The 2025 season will be a pivotal one for Pitts in Atlanta, which is why his collaboration with Penix will be vitally important.
"At the end of the day, whenever he's open I've got to find him and get him the ball," Penix said. "I know he'll make big-time plays whenever it's in his hands."
