The Atlanta Falcons made a major commitment to Kyle Pitts this offseason, betting that his 2025 breakout was a sign of what was still to come.
Two games into the new season, that decision hasn’t come close to paying off.
Bleacher Report’s Alex Kay included Pitts among five players whose contracts their teams may already regret, pointing to a nearly invisible start from the Falcons tight end after he signed a three-year, $54 million extension with $36 million guaranteed.
Kay went even further, warning that if Pitts can’t get going with Michael Penix Jr. back under center, Atlanta could be stuck with one of the NFL’s worst contracts.
Penix returns this Thursday when the Falcons head to Lambeau Field to face the Green Bay Packers.
Kyle Pitts’ $54 million Falcons contract already under fire
Pitts entered 2026 with momentum after one of the best seasons of his career. He caught 88 passes for 928 yards and five touchdowns, earning second-team All-Pro honors before.
Pitts had initially received the franchise tag. Then the team offered him an extension shortly after.
The tight end’s performances have pretty much been nonexistent.
Pitts has one catch for 15 yards through two games and has been targeted just four times. His lone reception of the season didn’t come until the Week 2 loss to Carolina.
“That decision is looking extremely regrettable,” Kay wrote after detailing Pitts’ two-game production.
Atlanta’s quarterback situation has done Pitts no favors. Cooper Rush started the first two games with Penix recovering from ACL surgery and Tua Tagovailoa dealing with an oblique injury. Rookie Jack Strand also saw action in the 34-3 loss to Carolina.
Still, Pitts’ lack of involvement stands out considering the size of Atlanta’s investment.
Michael Penix Jr. return raises stakes for Kyle Pitts
The Falcons should get a much better idea Thursday night of whether the problem has been Pitts, the quarterback situation or some combination of both.
Penix will make his 2026 debut against the Green Bay Packers on “Thursday Night Football” after Atlanta named him the starter for Week 3. Atlanta is the only offense in the NFL that has not reached the red zone through two games.
That makes Penix’s return significant for everyone in the offense, but especially for Pitts.
“If Pitts can’t figure things out with Penix under center, Atlanta will be saddled with one of the league’s worst contracts,” Kay wrote.
That is a harsh conclusion only two games into a three-year extension, especially after Pitts’ 2025 production.
But the contract also raised expectations. Pitts is being paid like one of the NFL’s top tight ends after Atlanta decided not to let him play out the season on the franchise tag.
Now the Falcons need to see the version they paid for.
Penix’s return should at least remove one of the biggest excuses surrounding Pitts’ slow start. If the targets and production remain missing with Atlanta’s preferred quarterback back on the field, the questions about that $54 million decision will only get louder as the season goes on.
ESPN’s Marc Raimondi believes that Pitts “will be a major beneficiary,” of Penix’s return.
Falcons’ $54 Million Deal Setting Up as One of NFL’s ‘Worst Contracts’