The Atlanta Falcons missed the playoffs once again, but they were far from the worst team in the NFL last season. Atlanta ended the year on a four-game winning streak, and while it wasn't enough to save head coach Raheem Morris' job, there was clear improvement.
The Falcons finished the season with an identical record as the Carolina Panthers and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. What made the year so frustrating was the fact that we saw progress in several key areas but the Falcons still failed to improve their overall record.
The team's pass rush finished second in the NFL with a franchise-record 57 sacks last season. Atlanta received solid contributions out of rookie Xavier Watts and second-year defensive lineman Brandon Dorlus. Running back Bijan Robinson racked up over 2,000 all-purpose yards and tight end Kyle Pitts had his best year since 2021.
Pro Football Focus has been slowly unveiling its top 101 players from the 2025 season. Pitts has been the only Falcons player to make the cut so far. The fifth-year tight end landed at No. 88 on the PFF 101.
Falcons TE Kyle Pitts ranked No. 88 by PFF
"Pitts delivered his best season in a contract year, as his 82.0 PFF receiving grade ranked eighth among tight ends," wrote PFF. "His 1.71 receiving yards per route run ranked sixth, while his nine broken tackles ranked tied for sixth."
PFF has only unveiled Nos. 101-61 on the top 101 countdown thus far, so there may still be more Falcons players coming up.
Pitts posted career highs in receptions (88) and touchdowns (5), while leading the team with 928 receiving yards. The former top-five draft pick is set to enter free agency next month, assuming the Falcons don't franchise tag him before the March 3 deadline.
The fact that Pitts is still just 25 years old is somewhat hard to believe, but his NFL future is undoubtedly bright.
This article originally appeared on Falcons Wire: Atlanta Falcons: Kyle Pitts makes PFF top 101 players of 2025