FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. -- Raheem Morris saw it, but he didn't want to say a word.
The Atlanta Falcons coach witnessed a resurgent tight end Kyle Pitts back in training camp and during practices earlier this season. Yet, Morris preferred not to discuss it, because he would rather Pitts show it on the field.
"I was scared to talk about him in the offseason because you're like, 'Let's just let him get out there and do it on his own -- let guys see it for themselves,'" Morris said Monday.
After three straight seasons filled with injuries and inconsistent play, some were beginning to wonder if the old Pitts would ever show up again.
The old Pitts, as in the 2021 No. 4 overall draft pick. The old Pitts as in the tight end who set records as a rookie with a 1,000-yard receiving season.
If Pitts has not entirely recaptured the magic of 2021 this season, he hasn't been far off, especially lately. His red-hot play -- including a 166-yard, three-touchdown performance against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers -- has almost certainly upped his value. Pitts will head into free agency this offseason unless the Falcons franchise-tag him, which is a possibility.
Since Week 13, Pitts is tied for third in the NFL in receiving yards (395), tied for second in receptions (31) and his four touchdowns are tied for the most in the league. The only players with more receiving yards than Pitts over the past four weeks are Puka Nacua and Jameson Williams. Pitts is tied with CeeDee Lamb.
At tight end, Pitts' entire season has stood out. He is second in the league among tight ends in receiving yards with 854 (the Arizona Cardinals' Trey McBride has 1,098), tied for second with the Dallas Cowboys' Jake Ferguson in receptions with 80 (McBride has 109) and his five receiving touchdowns are tied for the fourth-best mark.
Pitts' game against the Bucs in Week 15 made him the first tight end to reach at least 150 yards with three touchdowns in a game since Shannon Sharpe in 1996, according to ESPN Research.
Last Sunday in a win over the Cardinals, Pitts was a force for quarterback Kirk Cousins on third- and fourth-down conversions.
"He was special," Morris said. "Being able to go get the ball, making some critical catches, catching it contested, beat man-to-man coverage, winning some pretty tough looks, getting the ball on his hands, being able to do some of those things was special."
When asked Monday if he thinks his recent play has earned him a big contract, Pitts laughed and said it's not something he is even thinking about.
"It's more of just trying to be the best teammate I can be on this offense, on this team and insert myself and whenever I get opportunities to make the most of them," he said.
McBride is the highest-paid player at his position, making an average of $19.3 million per season. George Kittle of the San Francisco 49ers is at $18 million, Kansas City Chiefs star Travis Kelce is at $17.1 million, and Minnesota Vikings stalwart T.J. Hockenson is making $16 million.
The 6-foot-6, 250-pound Pitts is arguably having a better season than all of them with the exception of McBride, which is why the Falcons could franchise-tag him. Pitts is playing this season on the fifth-year option of his rookie contract, and the Falcons have yet to extend him. The franchise tag for tight ends is projected to be $15.8 million for 2026.
Pitts said these are things he'll let his agent, David Mulugheta of Athletes First, deal with.
"I won't even call him and ask about that," Pitts said. "That'd be something that when the time is and he calls me on it, then we'll talk, but that's not something I'm worried about or we'll be reaching out to be inquiring about."
In the meantime, Pitts has two more games to increase his stock -- beginning with "Monday Night Football" against the Los Angeles Rams.
"Throughout the course of training camp, and then throughout the course of what we've been doing in practice, he's looked like that at times," Morris said of Pitts' recent play. "And you're always looking for more from Kyle. We kind of talk about it a lot, and he's given us more and it's been nice."