Falcons GM Terry Fontenot publicly calls out Kyle Pitts after disappointing season

Kyle Pitts was the first draft pick Terry Fontenot made as an NFL general manager. It was a no-brainer pick at the time as the former Gator was easily the best tight end prospect ever. He brought everything you wanted, size, speed, route running, etc.

Pitts quickly proved his talent as he came up just short of breaking the rookie receiving record at his position; his future appeared brighter than the sun.

However, since then he has been a massive flop for a variety of reasons and the guy who put all his trust in him is now publicly calling him out.

GM Terry Fontenot says Kyle Pitts "needs to step up"

An injury, poor quarterback play, and poor coaching have all played into Kyle Pitts' lack of production but it is no excuse for what he has shown on the field. The fourth-year tight end has struggled to make contested catches, run sharp routes, and be full-go on every play.

Terry Fontenot has certainly recognized that saying this in his recent press conference:

Nothing he said is wrong; Pitts does need to step up. The Falcons can only do so much for him before he becomes a liability (some may argue he already is).

Going into the fifth year of his rookie deal, his salary is fully guaranteed. The Falcons must get a lot more out of him in 2025.

Of course, there is also the possibility he gets traded. Similar to Calvin Ridley, the Falcons could trade the tight end and clear his money off the books. Those are the two options as releasing him would save nothing.

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All in all, there is a lot Kyle Pitts needs to work on. Understanding the position better and improving strength should be at the top of his offseason to-do list.