The Falcons paid the man. Kyle Pitts and Atlanta have agreed to a three year, $54 million extension, finally giving the former top five pick the long term security he had been waiting for. After years of being one of the most talked about disappointments in the NFL, Pitts cashes in based on a real production rebound.
The contract works out to $18 million per year, which puts Pitts in the top tier of tight end pay alongside Travis Kelce, George Kittle, T.J. Hockenson, and now Brenton Strange. The guaranteed money on the deal is reportedly in the $30 million range, which is what matters for any contract this size.
This is a payoff for patience. Pitts came into the league as the No. 4 overall pick in the 2021 draft. He had a brilliant rookie year, then his production cratered. Quarterback play in Atlanta did not help. Injuries did not help. The narrative around him became toxic for a while. He was being talked about as a bust by year three.
Then Michael Penix Jr. stabilized the quarterback room. Zac Robinson’s offense started producing. Pitts had the kind of season last year that reminded everyone why he was a top five pick. The numbers were not Travis Kelce in his prime, but he was a real threat in the seam and the red zone, and his catch rate finally matched his draft pedigree.
The Falcons had a choice. They could have let Pitts play out his fifth year option, watched him have another solid year, then either tagged him or risked losing him in free agency. Or they could pay him now at a number that still gave them flexibility. They chose the latter. The deal does not break the bank and it locks in a player who is just hitting his prime.
At 25, Pitts has plenty of football left. He is built like a wide receiver and has the ball skills of one. In Robinson’s scheme, he can split out wide or work inline. The flexibility is part of what makes him valuable, and his rapport with Penix has been the key to unlocking what Atlanta had hoped to see from day one.
This also helps the Falcons offensively in a broader sense. Drake London has emerged as one of the better young receivers in football. Bijan Robinson is one of the best running backs in the game. Add a top tier tight end who can move the chains and threaten the middle of the field, and the Falcons have weapons at every position. The defense will need to keep improving, but the offensive ceiling is real.
The broader tight end market is also worth watching. Brenton Strange just got $48 million from the Jaguars in the same week. Trey McBride is up for an extension in Arizona. The market is moving quickly. Front offices need to decide whether to lock guys in now or risk being priced out next offseason.
For Pitts, the contract is validation. He has been the subject of trade rumors for two straight offseasons. He has been the subject of internal grumbling from coaches and former coaches. He kept showing up to work. He kept improving. Now he has the kind of paycheck that says the front office believes in him.
Atlanta still needs to win games. The NFC South has been winnable for years and the Falcons have not capitalized. With Pitts locked in and Penix continuing to develop, the front office has done its part. The next step is on the field.
A longtime sports reporter, Carlos Garcia has written about some of the biggest and most notable athletic events of the last 5 years. He has been credentialed to cover MLS, NBA and MLB games all over the United States. His work has been published on Fox Sports, Bleacher Report, AOL and the Washington Post.
