INDIANAPOLIS — Kevin Stefanski is no stranger to the NFL Combine, but he made the rounds for the first time as the newest head coach of the Atlanta Falcons on Tuesday.
Between an intimate scrum with local media members and a public appearance on the podium in a crowded and noisy convention room, Stefanski discussed an array of topics about his new squad. Here's a recap of everything you need to know from every Cunningham touchpoint at the combine.
Excited to work with Kyle Pitts: For the fourth time in franchise history, the Falcons elected to use the franchise tag. On Tuesday, they placed the tag on tight end Kyle Pitts, who was selected with the No. 4 pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. In his fifth year with the organization, Pitts caught 88 passes for 928 yards — second-most among tight ends — and a career-best five touchdowns. It was a resurgent season and one that renewed optimism for what his career could hold.
Stefanski's first turn as a primary position coach came in Minnesota during the 2014 season when he worked with the Vikings' tight ends. It's a position he knows very well, and one that has been productive in his offenses over the years. Pitts has long been considered a premier athlete whose versatility can provide matchup problems for defenses, and Stefanski is looking forward to helping him continue to flourish.
"Obviously, Kyle is a guy that I think very highly of — both professionally and personally," Stefanski said. "Excited to work with him. Obviously, his talent is evident. You can see it on tape and what he's been able to do in his career to date, so [he's] a guy we're excited to work with."
Trust the tape: When it comes to draft decisions, teams want every bit of information they can collect. The NFL Combine provides a lot of that information for teams through medical examinations, on-field testing and in-person interviews. Everything is done to gain the clearest picture possible for a decision based largely on projection. However, there's always the chance a new insight clouds the image. When it comes to sifting through so much, having a true North Star for the evaluation process can be helpful.
"I think, when in doubt, go with the tape," Stefanski said. "You have to totally believe in the tape and what you're seeing."
There are clear benefits to the team interviews conducted at the combine and throughout the draft process, though, even if Stefanski holds a player's performance on film as the highest checkpoint.
"This is a piece of it to understanding the person," he said. "Understanding how they learn, understanding what makes them tick and those types of things. Because, ultimately, like we talked earlier, you're bringing guys into your building. You want them to be a good fit for who you are, who your football team is, what you believe in."
Where things stand at quarterback: During his time speaking with the media Tuesday morning, Falcons general manager Ian Cunningham explained that the team planned to release Kirk Cousins at the start of the new league year. The decision was made "out of respect" for the veteran quarterback and will give him the best chance to find a new team.
With Michael Penix Jr. coming off ACL surgery and in the midst of rehab, Stefanski was asked who his quarterback was at the moment.
"What's today's date? February? Yeah, so we don't play for a little while. I think with any roster type of decisions, as you look at it in February, it is so different a month from now, two months from now, three months from now. We will work through all those things. Like I told you guys, Mike is working very hard at attacking his rehab, which is the most important thing he can do right now. We will work through all those things."
When it comes to exactly what the Falcons will look for if they decide to add to their quarterback room, be it a veteran presence or a developmental player, Stefanski said it would be a collaborative decision that includes Cunningham and president of football Matt Ryan before adding, "we feel really strongly about that position right now."
While Stefanski said he would not be handing out positions in February, he added, "I think you guys know how I feel about Michael. I'm excited about his trajectory. I also know he's focused on his rehab, which is the right thing to do."
How Stefanski views the roster: In his first month-plus on the job, Stefanski has looked at Atlanta's roster closely. Although there are surely changes to come, as there are every offseason, he is a fan of what he's seen so far.
"I feel good about where we are," Stefanski said. "I know there's 32 teams and everybody feels they could use a few more guys at a bunch of different spots, but I feel good about the guys we have. I feel really good about the plan that Ian has in place. And then, I feel really good about when I finally get my hands on these guys and we can coach them."
