NFL Top Player -- Dennis Pitta

Dennis Pitta
#88 TE
Baltimore Ravens
Height: 6-4   Weight: 245   Age: 28
Born: 6/29/1985 Fresno , CA
College: Brigham Young
Experience: 4th season
High School: Moorpark HS [CA]

Dennis Pitta (born Dennis Pitta Jr. in Fresno, Calif.) is a tight end for the Brigham Young University Cougars in the NCAA college football tournament. A second-generation football player, Pitta is starting to make a name of his own at BYU as one of the main targets in the Cougars' passing offense. Although he never is considered as the number one option, playing behind more renowned names such as Harvey Unga and Austin Collie, Pitta's emergence adds another option for coach Bronco Mendenhall's offense. Offensively, Pitta may not have the same amount of touches as Unga and Collie, but he does his job---run crisp routes and know where to fit into coverage---nonetheless.

Personal Life

Dennis, a native of Moorpark, California, is one of Dennis Pitta Sr. and Linda's three children (with two older sisters). Both his parents are sports-oriented, even her mother, before she passed away. He is a second-generation football player, following the footsteps of his father who once suited up as a middle linebacker for Cal from 1968-1969. The elder Pitta has received votes on a poll listing the all-time best University of California football players. Interestingly, both Dennises began their college football careers in games against Notre Dame.
Aside from their usual quarterback-tight end combo on the field, Dennis and Cougar QB Max Hall share a connection off of it. Back in the fall of 2007, Hall's wife McKinzi set up her sister Mataya with Dennis. In July of 2008, Dennis and Mataya tied the knot, making Dennis and Hall brothers-in-law.
Following his freshman season at BYU, the former Eagle Scout spent a couple of years in Dominican Republic to serve an LDS Church mission.

Community: As part of the NFL’s “Salute to Service” Military Appreciation initiative, joined teammates in hosting a karaoke party for local Baltimore veterans (Nov. 2011)...Taught youth football players the fundamentals of football at the NEXT Level Football Camp at Provo High School in Provo, Utah...In 2012, led football drills for more than 150 kids at Coca-Cola’s youth fitness event Live Positively: Get the Ball Rolling, an initiative designed to educate youth the importance of healthy living…Also awarded Player of the Year by the Tri-State Ravens Nest 12 for his success on and off the field...Supported Ravens’ community initiatives by attending the annual women’s event, A Purple Evening at M&T Bank Stadium...Also participated in teammates’ charitable events, including Vonta Leach’s Celebrity Billiards Tournament benefitting breast cancer research and Haloti Ngata’s Family Foundation Luau.

High School

Pitta attended high school at Moorpark High in his hometown of Moorpark, California where he was a three-sport athlete. Aside from earning two letters in football, Pitta also got one letter in basketball and three more in track. Under head coach Tim Lins, Pitta played on both ends on the field, catching passes as a receiver on offense and swatting them or picking them off as a cornerback on defense. The four-year scholar athlete concluded his high school career with a productive senior season, catching 64 passes for 1,150 yards and 13 touchdowns to help his team reach the CIF state semifinals and post an 11-win record in 2002. His performance that year earned him a selection into the all-county, all-league and all-area teams. He also was tabbed as a National Football Foundation Scholar Athlete.

Honor

• Has 102 receptions for 1,075 yards and 10 TDs
• His 7 TDs in 2012 tied Todd Heap (2005) for most by a Ravens’ tight end in a single season
• Posted a career-high 2 TD receptions, including a career-long 61-yarder, vs. Den. (12/16/12)
• Gained a career-high 125 yards (on 7 receptions) vs. Den. (12/16/12)
• Caught a career-high 8 receptions at Phi. (9/16/12)
• Caught his first-career TD vs. SF (11/24/11)
• Started his first-career game at Ten. (9/18/11)
• Grabbed his first-career reception at Cin. (9/19/10)

College

Despite being recruited by Yale, Dartmouth, Navy, Oregon, Oklahoma State and Utah, Pitta was not the most highly-touted prospects out of high school. Without much of an option, Pitta decided to accept BYU's invitation to be a walk-on.
2003
Grayshirted.
2004
As a freshman, Pitta took part in the spring drills and caught a pass for a five-yard touchdown in the annual Blue-White game. During the regular season, he managed to earn significant minutes under head coach Gary Crowton mainly due to the injury to Phil Niu. He made his collegiate debut against Notre Dame, playing behind David Coats and catching a 4-yard pass in the 20-17 win. The following week at Stanford, he caught three passes for 22 yards in the 27-point loss to the Cardinal. He also caught a 20-yard pass at Colorado State, hauled in three throws for 35 yards in the loss to UNLV, tallied his first career scores after catching two TD receptions in the 17-point win at Air Force, added a 21-yard catch in the win against San Diego State, then caught a season high 4 passes for 44 yards in the loss to New Mexico. He closed out his rookie year with 2 receptions for 18 yards in the 31-point setback at Utah. Pitta also moonlighted as a returner against the Falcons, returning a punt for 18 yards.
Pitta capped the year as the team's leading tight end receiver with 17 receptions for 176 yards and 2 TDs.
2007
Following his two-year hiatus, Pitta returned in December of 2006 and watched as the Cougars slaughtered Oregon, 38-8 at the Las Vegas Bowl. Upon his comeback, Pitta impressed his coaches with his speed as he topped all tight ends in that category but continued to work under a personal trainer during the summer to improve his quickness all the more. He competed with Vic So'oto and Andrew George for the position left by Jonny Harline. Pitta eventually got the starting nod during the preseason.
He made his re-debut against Arizona and caught 4 passes for 33 yards and 1 TD in the 13-point win. At UCLA, he recorded five passes for 66 yards in the 10-point loss to the Bruins. In week 3 at Tulsa, he tallied his first 100-yard game, catching 6 passes for 113 yards and 1 TD as the Cougars failed to outgun the Golden Hurricane, 47-55. Against Air Force, Pitta established a new career high of 114 receiving yards on 5 receptions as BYU started its 10-game winning streak with a 31-6 rout of the Falcons. In road wins at New Mexico and at UNLV, he also contributed significant numbers with 49 yards and 1 TD on 4 catches against the Lobos and a season high 7 receptions for 97 yards against the Rebels. He was limited to a season low 5-yard catch in the blow-out victory over Washington then chipped in 4 and 7 catches for 70 and 88 yards in the ensuing victories over Colorado State and TCU, respectively. He scored on another TD reception at Wyoming, in addition to 58 yards on 4 catches. He then tallied 3 receptions for 35 yards against Utah before closing the season out with a 4-catch, 47-yard, 1-TD effort in the finale at San Diego State.
In his first postseason appearance, Pitta had 5 catches for 38 yards in BYU's 1-point win over the Bruins in the Las Vegas Bowl. By the end of his sophomore campaign, Pitta figured prominently in the tight ends' statistical race, leading all tight ends in the Mountain West Conference and placing sixth overall in receptions (59, 4.5 per game), 5th in yards per game (63, second-ranked sophomore), and paced the league tight ends in touchdown receptions with five for the season. He was also named as an All-Mountain West Conference first-team pick in addition to an Academic All-Mountain West Conference accolades.
2008
During the preseason, Pitta was named an early candidate for a couple of prestigious national awards: the John Mackey Award and the Rotary Lombardi Award. He was also considered as a preseason All-MWC and an All-American candidate. In the season-opener against Northern Iowa, Pitta picked up where he left off by registering career highs in receptions (11) and receiving yards (213) in the Cougars' easy 41-17 victory. In the "controversial" win at Washington, Pitta caught 10 passes for 148 yards and his first TD of the season to help BYU egde out U-Dub, 28-27. In a Las Vegas Bowl rematch with UCLA, he totalled 2 TD receptions and 47 yards on 5 catches as the Cougars shut-out the Bruins, 59-0.

Professional career

Baltimore Ravens (2010-present)
Pitta was selected by the Baltimore Ravens in the fourth round (114th overall) of the 2010 NFL Draft. The pick was one of three that the Ravens acquired in a trade with the Denver Broncos on the first night of the draft on April 22. The Broncos received a first-round pick which was used to select Tim Tebow. Pitta was signed to a three-year contract on June 21, 2010. In his rookie year, Pitta had only one catch for a single yard while playing behind Todd Heap and fellow-rookie Ed Dickson. In 2011 however, quarterback Joe Flacco looked for Pitta often, and Pitta stepped into a more valuable role, with 40 catches for 405 yards and three touchdowns. By then, Terrell Suggs nicknamed him "American Express".

In the Ravens' 2012 season opener in Cincinnati, Pitta caught 5 passes for 73 yards and a touchdown, with quarterback Joe Flacco targeting him 10 times. By October, he was the starting TE in front of Ed Dickson. However, Dickson was listed ahead of Pitta in Super Bowl XLVII. In Super Bowl XLVII, Pitta caught four balls for 26 yards and a touchdown to help lead the Ravens to a 34-31 victory over the San Francisco 49ers. In the entire playoffs, he caught touchdowns in 3 of the 4 games.

On May 13, 2013, the Baltimore Ravens announced that Pitta signed his second round restricted free agent tender worth $2.023 million.

On July 27, 2013, Pitta suffered a dislocated and fractured hip during training camp and underwent surgery the same night. Pitta was not immediately placed on injured reserve and examinations of the hip revealed no ligament or cartilage damage..

In Week 14 of the 2013 season, Pitta returned to on field action for first time since Super Bowl XLVII . He caught 6 passes for 48 yards and a touchdown in a 29-26 win against the Minnesota Vikings.

On February 28, 2014, the Baltimore Ravens and Pitta agreed to a 5 year $32 million contract.