American Football
Atlanta Falcons extend tight end Kyle Pitts on three-year, $54m deal
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Kyle Pitts is staying in Atlanta after signing a three-year, $54 million, $36 million fully guaranteed extension.
The Falcons and their franchise tight end agreed to terms Tuesday on a long-term extension, per ESPN's NFL insider Adam Schefter.
At $18 million per year, Pitts slots in third among all tight ends, behind the 49ers' George Kittle at $19.1m and the Cardinals' Trey McBride at $19m.
Originally scheduled to play under the franchise tag, Pitts is now locked up through 2028.
What Pitts did to earn this
In 2025, the 25-year-old set career-highs in receptions and touchdowns, finishing with 88 catches for 928 receiving yards and five scores.
Those numbers were good enough to rank second among all tight ends in both catches and receiving yards, trailing only McBride.
It also marked the fifth consecutive year in which his touchdown total has improved.
Pitts' comeback tour
Drafted fourth overall in the 2021 NFL Draft, Pitts was selected earlier than any tight end in NFL history.
He burst out of the gate with 1,026 receiving yards in his rookie year and earned a Pro Bowl nod for his efforts.
While his touchdown rate kept climbing in the years since, his receiving yards dropped off, never again topping more than 667 until last year came around.
Injuries and inconsistency piled up to the point where his future in Atlanta looked uncertain, and he responded in the best way possible.
What this means for the Falcons' offseason
Drake London got his extension three weeks ago, signing a four-year, $141 million extension, and with Pitts now locked up, the obvious next name on that list is Bijan Robinson.
Robinson is in the conversation for best running back in the NFL right now, and given the Falcons current form for getting core players extended, it wouldn't be a surprise to see him up next.
Atlanta are looking to improve on their 8-9 finish in 2025, and with their stars back in the building, the outlook looks good.
The quarterback question is still in limbo, with Michael Penix Jr. coming back from a torn ACL and Tua Tagovailoa looking to steady the ship, but at least whoever wins that battle has ample help.
