Ex-Falcons GM Terry Fontenot Comments On Kyle Pitts Franchise Tag

The Atlanta Falcons announced on Tuesday that tight end Kyle Pitts Sr. would receive the franchise tag this offseason. They were the first NFL team to announce the deal, but new general manager Ian Cunningham wasted no time in making the news official.

As the NFL Combine gets underway in Indianapolis, the former general manager addressed the decision in a guest appearance on NFL Network’s Good Morning Football.

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“I love Kyle so much. He is a special player,” Terry Fontenot said in the early-morning appearance. “He lived a couple of houses down from me before, but he had some challenges early in his career. Had a really good rookie year, and then dealt with some adversity. He had the knee injury and a number of different quarterbacks, but he stayed resilient. A lot of people don’t realize how much he competed and how much he dealt with and kept fighting through it.

“Another thing other people don’t realize is that Kyle has only played in the league for just four years, and he’s only 25 years old. He came into the league so young.”

Fontenot made Pitts the highest-ever drafted tight end in NFL history in 2021, his first draft class as the Falcons’ general manager. The move was often criticized, not only for the value, but also for the opportunity cost of that decision.

The Falcons passed up the opportunity to draft players like Ja’Marr Chase, Jaylen Waddle, Penei Sewell, Jaycee Horn, Patrick Surtain II, DeVonta Smith, Micah Parsons, and Rashawn Slater in eight of the next nine picks. Those players have combined for 10 first-team All-Pro selections and 23 Pro Bowls.

As a Falcon, Pitts popped as a rookie, nearly breaking a decades-old rookie record held by Mike Ditka for receiving yards as a tight end. A torn ACL derailed his 2022, and his 2023 and 2024 performances made it seem as if his time in Atlanta would soon be coming to an end.

Instead, Fontentot surprised some by picking up the fifth-year option on the tight end, and Pitts rewarded that confidence with an All-Pro performance, the first time in his career that he received that recognition. Pitts finished second among tight ends in receptions (88) and receiving yards (928) last season, while adding a career-high five touchdowns.

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For now, Pitts’ time in Atlanta is set to continue for at least one more season. The non-exclusive tag will ensure the Falcons have the inside track in any contract negotiations. The two parties will have until July to sign an extension, or Pitts’ one-year contract, worth approximately $16 million, will go into effect.

“I think he has an arrow pointing straight up,” Fontenot finished.

The Falcons could also trade their star tight end and take advantage of the outstanding season he had in 2025. Without a premium draft selection, Pitts could fetch a solid return, should they make him available.