Many wondered if Kyle Pitts would make it to this point of the season with the Atlanta Falcons. Sitting at 2-2 and heading into a bye for Week 5, the fifth-year tight end was widely speculated to be traded away. But that never happened, and now we may finally be seeing the real Kyle Pitts.
Pitts’ sudden surge comes at a crucial time in his career, entering the final year of his rookie deal. Drafted No. 8 overall in the 2021 NFL Draft, Pitts was the highest-selected tight end in league history. He signed a four-year, $32.9 million deal, with Atlanta exercising its $10.8 million club option for a fifth season, per Spotrac.
Luckily for the Falcons, Pitts has only made noise on the field rather than off it concerning his potential new deal.
“That’s something at the end of the year I’ll maybe think about,” Pitts said, per The Athletic’s Josh Kendall.
The former Florida Gator is letting his play speak right now. Through four games, Pitts has accounted for 20 catches, 205 yards, and one touchdown — his best start since his rookie season, when he racked up 68 catches for 1,026 yards. He’s currently on pace for 872 yards this season.
Though his touchdown total has increased by one each season, Pitts has averaged just 42.6 receptions and 541.6 yards over the last three years.
Falcons Could Franchise Tag Kyle Pitts in 2026
Both the Falcons and Pitts were coming off lackluster seasons in 2024. Atlanta missed the playoffs for the seventh straight year, and Pitts’ performance was subpar. That made extension talks a non-starter.
“There hasn’t been any whispers of a contract extension thus far,” AJC’s D. Orlando Ledbetter wrote back on July 14. “The team could place the franchise tag on him, but at a projected $16 million that would seem unlikely.”
If Atlanta opts for the tag, it will have to make tough choices with the salary cap in 2026. According to OverTheCap, the Falcons are projected to be $1.2 million over the cap, even with the league’s team cap increasing from $279.2 million in 2025 to $295.5 million in 2026.
One option could be cutting veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins, who carries a massive $57.5 million cap hit that year — 19.5% of the team’s space.
Raheem Morris Knew Kyle Pitts Would Make a Turnaround
Despite the offseason noise about Pitts’ future, head coach Raheem Morris never wavered. He trusted the tight end would deliver.
“It’s kind of what we saw in the offseason,” Morris said. “No one really wanted to believe it. I was hesitant to even talk about it because you just wanted to let him go do it.”
Coming off a 30-0 embarrassment to the Carolina Panthers in Week 3, Atlanta’s offense rebounded against the Washington Commanders in Week 4. Pitts led the way with five catches for 70 yards and a touchdown.
That 7-yard score came early in the third quarter to put the Falcons ahead 24-17. But it was his celebration that stood out — flinging his arms and puffing out his chest as if he had finally exorcised the demons of the last few seasons.
Kyle Pitts Breaks Silence on Contract Extension With Falcons