The Atlanta Falcons announced on Friday that they would be entering the Week 5 game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers without their star tight end Kyle Pitts. According to the Falcons, Pitts is dealing with a hamstring injury.
Pitts didn’t practice the whole week, but the Falcons kept a glimmer of hope that they could get him on the field on Sunday. However, it appears that the 22-year-old couldn’t recover in time and will miss a game for the first time in his pro career.
Pitts, who was selected with the fourth overall pick in 2021, has 10 catches for 150 yards this season. He made 68 catches for 1,026 and a touchdown last year.
The news represents a tough blow for Atlanta, considering that they already lost utility player Cordarrelle Patterson to a knee injury. Patterson underwent a “minor procedure” earlier in the week and was placed on the Injured Reserve list.
Without Pitts and Patterson on the field, the Falcons are expected to rely heavily on rookie Drake London. This year’s eighth-overall pick had a fine start to the season, catching 18 passes for 231 yards in the first four weeks. He also has two touchdown receptions.
