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Shortly after it was learned this past winter that the Atlanta Falcons decided to use their franchise tag to retain the rights to tight end Kyle Pitts Sr. for the 2026 season, first-year Falcons general manager Ian Cunningham seemed to confirm the club would not be signing Pitts to a multiyear contract this year.
Thus, some understandably were surprised when the Falcons handed Pitts a three-year, $54M deal with $36M guaranteed during the NFL’s ongoing summer break. While speaking with reporters on Monday about that extension, Pitts suggested that he expected to play on the franchise tag through early 2027.
Kyle Pitts Sr. was ready to “grind” while on the franchise tag
“It was more so, ‘OK, that was my opportunity that Atlanta picked it back up to give me another year to showcase,'” Pitts said about his reaction to being tagged, per Daniel Flick of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution (h/t NFL.com). “And then it was just time to squeeze the rag and just grind. I was fortunate I got the call and the interest in the long term, and when it happened, it was pretty great.”
Pitts is coming off the best season, to date, of his career after the fourth overall pick of the 2021 NFL Draft was somewhat of a disappointment across his first four campaigns. He led the Falcons last season with 88 receptions, 118 targets and 928 receiving yards. Over 17 games, he recorded five touchdown receptions.
Kyle Pitts Sr. thinks his best performances are in the future
The perception exists that a general manager and a head coach (Kevin Stefanski) who weren’t working for the Falcons when the club drafted Pitts believed that signing the 25-year-old now could save the franchise some money down the road. Pitts sounds eager to prove that his deal will ultimately be a bargain for the Falcons.
“I think there’s a lot more out there, a lot more to get, and a lot more things to keep grinding towards. It’s cool to see,” Pitts said about signing the extension.
Pitts added that he is confident his best football is “100 percent” ahead of him. Clearly, Cunningham, Stefanski and others associated with the Falcons agreed with that assessment this offseason.
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