Kyle Pitts Believes Falcons Are Building 'Something Special' After Extension

FLOWERY BRANCH – Kyle Pitts officially signed his new three-year, $54 million extension with the Atlanta Falcons on Monday, and he confessed that the deal was not necessarily what he was expecting when he signed his franchise tag earlier this offseason.

“At first, I didn’t know it was going to happen,” Pitts said via a Zoom call on Monday. “Once I signed the franchise tag, it was more so, okay, that was my opportunity, and Atlanta picked it back up to give me another year to showcase, and then it was just time to squeeze the rag and just grind.

“It was fortunate that I got the call and the interest in the long-term [deal]. When it happened, it was pretty great.”

The deal is the largest of any three-year agreement that a tight end has signed in league history, and will guarantee that Pitts will remain with the organization that made him the highest drafted tight end in league history at least two more years. General manager Ian Cunningham shrewdly gave the organization the option of a third season, fully guaranteeing the first two – effectively elevating the franchise tag price ($15 million) by just $3 million and adding the extra year.

If you ask the All-Pro tight end, he would tell you that he hopes it will be much longer.

“I’m here for hopefully the rest of my career,” Pitts explained, “and I just want to keep doing well each year and get us over that hump [to reach the postseason].”

The Falcons clearly saw enough from Pitts during his resurgent 2025 season and this offseason program to justify the investment, but they also believe his ceiling remains even higher.

Even though he has played five full seasons, Pitts has yet to turn 26. In 2026, he will also get his first opportunity to grow under Kevin Stefanski, a known aficionado of the position – and for Stefanski, he now has the most talented tight end he has ever coached.

“The physical skill set is obvious when Kyle's on the field, with how big he is and how he moves,” Stefanski said about Pitts back during OTAs. “I've been impressed with what we're asking him to do, a couple of new things for him.

“As your players continue on in their careers, you want to find out more: what else is in there? What else can he do? And what can we help you with? I think Kyle's been outstanding in that regard of trying to continue to get better in so many areas.”

The traits are obvious: 6-foot-6 with rare sprint speed for the position. To this point, his production has been good but inconsistent, leaving the Falcons still waiting on the potential everyone believes is there. No matter, because there is still belief in Pitts's potential up in Flowery Branch.

That belief started with Pitts, going back to a conversation he had with God, himself, and tight ends coach Kevin Koger. That honest personal development saw the tight end deliver his best season as a pro, with Pitts finishing second in the NFL in yards (928), receptions (88), and targets (118).

Most of those totals came for Pitts after Drake London was lost to an injury, but he insisted that it was not something he was concerned about. Instead, he was about simply doing what was asked of him whenever the time came to step up, whether that was catching passes or making blocks for his teammates.

After years of inconsistent performances, that late-season surge was enough to show the new Falcons brass that he was worth keeping around. Cunningham opted to place the tag on him, and many – including Pitts – fully expected it to stay there.

But the Falcons had other ideas, and they believe that the “unicorn” tight end can reach that next peak with the organization that drafted him. Pitts, on the other hand, is just about helping this team win games.

“I never really put pressure on myself,” Pitts said about living up to his perceived potential. “It’s more so just knowing what I can do and what I bring to the table. All I want to do is be an asset to this offense, and I thank God and this organization for extending me, [but] pressure, that’s not something even in my mind as much.”

And like the Falcons, Pitts is confident that his best football is still ahead of him, and he wants to see that end with this franchise achieving something it never has: hoisting a Lombardi Trophy.

“I want to do my part very well and whatever the coach asks me to do, whether that is blocking, running, being a leader to the rookies, or, you know, pulling somebody aside to come along with me to do anything,” Pitts said. “Whatever needs to be done for us to get to meaningful ball [in the playoffs], I'm in. That's how I have been, and now it's just more enhanced.

“What we have here is something special, and something to take to the next level.”

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