For the first time since his rookie season, tight end Kyle Pitts looked like the player the Atlanta Falcons expected when they selected him with the No. 4 overall pick in 2021.
Pitts turned in career highs with 88 receptions and five touchdowns in 2025. His 928 receiving yards were second only to his rookie total of 1,026.
Advertisement
On Feb. 24, the Falcons placed a non-exclusive franchise tag on Pitts. That means Pitts is free to negotiate with other teams when the new NFL year begins Wednesday. Atlanta has the right to match any offer.
MORE: George Pickens may play 2026 on the franchise tag
Pitts and the Falcons have until July 15 to negotiate a multiyear extension. If a long-term deal is not reached by that deadline, Pitts can sign a one-year deal for the upcoming season at about $15 million, according to Over the Cap.
Advertisement
Atlanta Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts Sr. (8) runs after the catch and applies a stiff arm on Arizona Cardinals cornerback Akeem Davis (27). Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
NFL analyst Albert Breer predicts the Falcons will let Pitts play on the tag this season. According to Breer, the team hopes to see Pitts back up his big 2025 season before offering him a long-term deal.
“This is purely an on-field thing,” Breer wrote. “After a promising rookie year in 2021, a knee injury the following season set his career back, both in needing to have the knee drained regularly in 2023 and in the effect that had in his development. By 2024, he was in a platoon with Charlie Woerner. And then in 2025, after failing to hit even 700 yards or five touchdowns in three consecutive seasons, he went for 88 catches, 928 yards and five scores.
Advertisement
“Is that now who Pitts is? The tag gives the Falcons another year to figure that out, with a new coaching staff in place, including a head man (Kevin Stefanski) who values the position.”
New head coach Kevin Stefanski hopes to lead the Falcons out of an eight-year rut of losing seasons. Atlanta rallied to win its final four games and finish 8-9 in 2025. The team tied for first place in the NFC South, but lost out to the Carolina Panthers in a three-way tiebreaker.
—Enjoy free coverage of the top news & trending stories on The Big Lead—
NFL: 5 most overrated NFL free agents hitting the market in 2026
MLB: What drug did Jurickson Profar take? MLB announces PED use
SPORTS MEDIA: Stephen A. Smith bashes underwhelming NBA star as ‘food addict’
VIRAL: NBC delivers epic nostalgia with ‘Throwback Tuesday’ NBA broadcast
WORLD CUP: Will Iran compete in the 2026 World Cup? Donald Trump weighs in
WNBA: Players, union leaders divided, claims letter from 2-time MVP and 4-time All-Star