Florida standout Kyle Pitts wins John Mackey Award honoring nation's best tight end
Florida’s Kyle Pitts was named the winner of the John Mackey Award, which is presented annually to college football’s most outstanding tight end.
The junior established himself as a top tight end and one of the best pass-catchers in the country this season with 43 receptions, 770 yards and 12 touchdowns. Pitts’ 12 receiving touchdowns this season were the second-highest total by a tight end in SEC history. Vanderbilt’s Allama Matthews (14 in 1982) holds the SEC record. His 770 yards this year ties Kirk Kirkpatrick (1990) for second on Florida’s single-season record list for receiving yards by a tight end.
Pitts is the first tight end in Gators history and the eighth FBS tight end in the last five years (including 2020) with three games of 100-plus receiving yards in the same season.
Pitts is the second tight end in school history to win the Mackey Award, joining a Gators tight end who won the award in 2009. Ben Troupe (2003) and Jake McGee (2015) were named finalists in their respective years.
His dominant performance this season also landed him a spot as a Biletnikoff Award finalist, which is presented annually to college football’s best pass-catcher.
Pitts also became Florida’s first unanimous first-team All-American since Vernon Hargreaves III in 2015. Both Pitts and Hargreaves were named AFCA, AP, FWAA, Sporting News and Walter Camp First Team All-Americans.
Under no circumstances is this any type of endorsement of Aaron Hernandez.
But can a journalist really not mention his name as a side statistic.
I get the idea of not mentioning him to not draw attention to him. But saying “a Gator tight end who won in 2009” draws more attention to him
I was shocked that Pitts is tied for 2nd place in UF history for TE yardage, but then i remembered he missed 3 games and the schedule was only 10 to begin with. Hernandez turned out to be a bad person, but nobody knew that during his days at UF. I would trade Hargreaves for a shoe thrower any day. At least Marco played with passion.
Nobody knew about Hernandez? Not according to many articles you can find online.
Did you (JTF) know it at the time? The Patriots drafted him. Did they know it at the time? Your final answer would be, No.
No, I didn’t know. But somebody must have known.
I know I believe everything I read online.
I believe the beat writers of the gators for the Orlando Sentinel. Why would they lie?
If it’s in the internet then it must be true
@JTF – Why in the world are you following beat writers of the gators for the Orlando Sentinel? Obsession seems to be reoccurring trait for you poor pups..
I’m always open to articles with contrasting views.
Especially when they contrast the views of Gator football fans on the Florida Gator Forum. The weird obsession continues…
Didn’t realize you guys needed your little safe place. I’m out.
No one said you had to leave. It is a free country and a free site. Just like I have the freedom to say that the infatuation that UGA fans have with our program and forum is weird. Just MO. If that is your thing then come on in, the water is warm, but do not make ridiculous accusations that coaches and players could somehow magically tell that Hernandez would be a killer and not expect to meet resistance to a crazy notion. Any article written that would say that is just click bait non sense.
Never said that. But carry on.
“Nobody new about Hernandez? Not according to many articles online?”
He was suspended twice. So how could no one about his troubles. I never mentioned murders
Your insinuation reads differently. Kids get suspended everyday in college football. You do not know anything about those suspensions. Neither do I or the press. This is just another way for fans from other teams (specifically UGA for some weird reason) to have a voice and negative opinion about UF’s program. I really wish y’all would win a Natty so UGA fans overall wouldn’t be as bitter. It seems UGA has plenty to worry about as far as suspensions and allegations go.
His name has been removed from all historical records related to the UF football program and for good reason. The writer obviously respects UF’s view concerning a murderer.
That must be the same historical record book that shows the all time UGa – UF football record is 22-9 Gators…
Come on Hump, you are better than that. The situation with Hernandez could have and has happened in other programs. This one just happened to be a scandal and news worthy. It has nothing to do with the type of recruiting that is happening. Nor does it reflect the behavior of the majority of athletes at UF. Several bad apples does not…well you know what I am getting at.
If I’m better than that please explain this to me G8rBits. This story states “Pitts is the second tight end in school history to win the Mackey Award, joining a Gators tight end who won the award in 2009…”
IF the name Aaron Hernandez has been removed from ALL historical records as N8rG8r implies why even put this statement in the story? Someone is throwing out BS, either the “SDS Staff” who wrote the article (my money is on Neil lol) or G8rN8r…so without further adieu time for my BS flag…Personal foul, insulting my limited intelligence, 15 yards and loss of down, this is SDS Staff or N8rG8r’s first personal foul of the game…
Happy New Year 2bitz…stay safe
My intention was not to point out the flaw with the article but rather the flaw with your intention in posting that comment. It seems that you are insinuating that Florida coaches do not do care about moral character in recruits. There are small contentions between fans on the “overall,” record between UGA and UF but any one with common sense knows that there is not a true disparenging gap between programs. It is a great rivalry for that reason. But bringing up the black eye that Hernandez put on our program put on our program is low hanging fruit IMO. True Gator fans can not stand that Hernandez was a gator but cannot do anything about it. It is what it is. The record between UGA-UF also is what it is with the exception of a few disagremments and timeframes. So, yes Hernandez went to Florida and was a great player but turned out to be a horrible person. That happens all the time. And Yes not all Gator fans care about the overall record as long as one would not say it is lopsided or not worthy of rivalry. And yes Happy New Year!!!
My intention, whether misguided or not, was directed more at the “his name has been removed from all historical records” b.s. Aaron went astray but he certainly was a heck of a player at UF, I guess all the steroids Urban pumped him up with in 2009 did their brain damage later…lol just kiddin
As for the rest of your post…spot on 2bitz. Cheers!
LoL havent heard the steroid one yet! My apologies then, I did not reaize that you were speaking to the fact that it is stupid to maintain the “He whose name cannot be spoken,” rule. I thinkn that is kind of dumb as well. Like you always say must be the alcohol or just my UF education.
Speaking of alcohol, wonder where Nash has been, hope he doesn’t need me to bring bail money up to Washington DC all though I must ashamedly admit, the guy that took the selfie sitting in Nancy Pelosi’s office, priceless…
I think Nash was the guy with the Buffalo hat on and the war paint.
Hilarious…if only he was wearing a giraffe smiley face Covid mask to complete the ensemble…
Hadn’t heard Ben Troupe’s name a a while, that dude was good.
Congratulations. No more deserving TE than Pitts. He is a nightmare for defenses.
I loved watching Pitts play. He was unstoppable unless a defensive player targeted his head.
Congrats to the greatest TE in UF history. Much deserved.
I can’t believe Trask didn’t win one single post season award. One of the best seasons a QB in the SEC or college football has ever had and can’t win an award? Thats a real shame the voters didn’t show him some love.
Yeah. It’s too bad, but I think those late season losses cost him. Still, he will always be a Gator great!
Here ya go, I’ve got a spare Participation Trophy from my liberal high school days…he can have it
Think of the season he would have had without the cheap shot that cost him a couple of games. UF will remember that UGA.
Oh the fear we shake in, lol…what a pathetic statement. It was a bang bang play where both players ducked and both players missed a couple of games, no one won, both teams lost great players, so let it go g8rWade
A bang bang play? Cheap shot.
Cine was ejected from the game after review. But keep posting your nonsense. You are not allowed to play college football that way any more. Pitts was on the way to the ground when Cine hit him in the head and broke his nose.
It was a dumb shot, not a cheap shot. Big difference. I still dont blame you that much for being huffy about it. Just be honest about it.
Pitts, if he stays healthy and plays for teams with a decent QB, will be in the NFL Hall of Fame one day.