FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. -- Kirk Cousins has been a full go at practice throughout training camp after having his 2023 season cut short due to a torn right Achilles. Even in OTAs, the Atlanta Falcons quarterback was able to do essentially whatever was asked of him physically.
One thing Cousins has not done since Oct. 29, 2023, though, is absorb a hit. He didn't play in the preseason, and there was no contact for quarterbacks in practice.
When Cousins, a high-profile free agent signing, debuts with the Falcons in Week 1 against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday (1 p.m. ET, Fox), he'll be facing live defenders for the first time. And he's looking forward to it "in a sick way."
"I'll probably tell the first guy that hits me, 'Thank you' -- within reason," Cousins said Wednesday after Falcons practice. "It's good. Get that taste of blood in your mouth a little bit."
Cousins isn't the only Atlanta player wanting to answer health questions this weekend. Tight end Kyle Pitts, who has been hampered with injuries and inconsistency the past two seasons, has been limited in practice with a hamstring issue. He was updated to full participation by Thursday.
Falcons coach Raheem Morris said he isn't too concerned about it. Morris said the injury is something Pitts has dealt with for several weeks, but it has not affected him much.
"He's been out there practicing, doing just about everything," Morris said.
Pitts, 23, said his limitations Wednesday amounted to about two fewer plays than everyone else. He has no doubts about competing Sunday against the Steelers. Pitts said he feels the healthiest he has been since "before I got hurt."
In 2021, Pitts had 1,026 receiving yards, joining Mike Ditka as the only rookie tight end to eclipse the 1,000-yard mark and becoming the first one to make the Pro Bowl since Jeremy Shockey in 2022. It seemed like the sky would be the limit for the former No. 4 pick. But a torn right MCL ended his season in 2022, and Pitts didn't seem fully recovered last season.
Pitts said he doesn't have a chip on his shoulder to perform this year after two frustrating seasons.
"It's about me and just trying to put games together," Pitts said.
Meanwhile, Cousins was leading the NFL in touchdown passes (18) when he went down in 2023. He'll be trying, beginning this weekend, to lead the Falcons to their first winning season since 2017. And for the first time in 11 months, that red jersey will be coming off and pass rushers will be coming for him with bad intentions.
"Red jersey is not real football," Cousins said. "I've said that for a long time. A red jersey is not real football and I understand why we wear them, but there's no substitute for the real deal and we'll be seeing it Sunday."