The Atlanta Falcons got their starting quarterback back on Thursday Night Football in Week 3.
Michael Penix Jr., after two weeks of Cooper Rush, took the QB job back over, and with it came lots of hope for Atlanta.
The problem is that his opening drive didn’t go well.
After a completion to Bijan Robinson, Penix’s second pass went to the guys wearing the green jerseys.
Four plays in to his new season, Penix had thrown an interception.
It meant that the top pass catchers on the Falcons, who had put together two very quiet games early in the season, didn’t exactly hit the ground running.
Kyle Pitts had no catches in Week 1 and one in Week 2.
Drake London had two catches in the opener and four in game two.
They both had to be thrilled at Penix’s return. They just can’t have been thrilled with how things started on Thurdsay night at Lambeau Field.
Is Kyle Pitts Playing Tonight?
Yes, the Falcons’ star tight end is active and healthy and on the field, just as he was in Week 1 when he was targeted once, and in Week 2 when he had just one catch.
He simply hasn’t been getting thrown to much at all in the early going.
It’s not what Pitts would’ve wanted after newly committing his future to the Falcons in the offseason, but it’s been tough sledding in the early going.
What Number is Kyle Pitts?
Pitts wears number 8 on his jersey if you’re trying to confirm that he’s on the field.
The Falcons are an offense of single-digit numbers — Drake London wears 5, and Bijan Robinson wears 7, so it’s a bit tricky to keep track.
Kyle Pitts Dilemma
The reality with Pitts is that he’s now in his sixth NFL season — and two of his first five seasons were good, and three were disappointing.
He was a star as a rookie, then struggled in the next three years for consistency, before seeming to put things back together in 2025.
Still, this may just be who he is.
There will be games where it’s hard to know whether Pitts is playing. Consistency has rarely been his thing.
Is Kyle Pitts Playing Tonight? Why Falcons’ TE Slow Star Continues in Week 3