Player Profiles: Dennis Pitta
The Baltimore Ravens have had two great tight ends in their history and both have something in common. Both Dennis Pitta and Todd Heap are Mormon… I know off topic but there is your Ravens fun fact. Now on to the profile.
Pitta was drafted by the Ravens in 2010 The season that I was lucky enough to cover for WBAL and 98 Rock. Pitta was a fourth-round draft pick and the 114th overall pick in the 2010 draft. Feel free to listen to this old recording of me interviewing Pitta at the bottom of the page.
Pitta came up as an older draft pick having spent time on Mormon missions. When Pitta entered college he was a walk on and a wide receiver, he grew into being a tight end.
The receiver skills that Pitta possesses have made him one of Joe Flacco’s favorite targets. Pitta has sure hands and runs great routes in the middle of the field. Pitta has become vital on third downs and in the red zone. The relationship that Flacco and Pitta have off the field is clearly shown on game day.
Pitta has become one of the Ravens clutch players and seems to have a knack for big plays. Pitta worked his way up the depth chart. In Pitta’s rookie season he only had one reception and was third on the depth chart behind Heap and Ed Dickson. Pitta quickly rose above that and when the Ravens let go of Heap he became the starter.
In Pitta’s second season he had 40 receptions and three touchdowns. It was during Pitta’s second season when Terrell Suggs gave him the nickname “American Express” because he was always where Flacco needed him to be. Pitta’s best season came in 2012 when he had 61 receptions and seven touchdowns. Pitta also had a touchdown in the Super Bowl and was a key play maker during the Ravens Super Bowl run.
In 2013 when Pitta was out with a serious injury many questioned if he would be able to come back and play. Pitta did and still had a fine season with 20 receptions and a touchdown in only six games. It was clear to the Ravens that Pitta was hard to replace. While Pitta was injured the Ravens tried to use Dallas Clark and Dickson in the same role. Clark was a good receiver but dropped some key passes and Dickson was a good blocker but struggled in the receiving game.
The Ravens are a better offense when Pitta is on the field and Flacco is a much better quarterback when Pitta is on the field. Pitta and Flacco are a pair that are always on the same page and I expect more great things from Pitta going forward.
