The Falcons and Kyle Pitts agreed to a three-year, $54 million contract with $36 million fully guaranteed, per ESPN — a deal struck one day before the July 15 deadline for franchise-tagged players to sign long-term extensions. Miss that window and Pitts would have played 2026 on the $15 million tender he signed back on April 7, with trade speculation filling every quiet week between now and the season.
Instead, Atlanta bought three more years at $18 million per season, the third-highest annual value at the position behind George Kittle’s $19.1 million and Trey McBride’s $19 million, per NFL Network. Pitts is now under contract through 2028.
The 2025 season is what closed the gap between the two sides. Pitts caught 88 passes for 928 yards, second among tight ends in both categories, and added five touchdowns — the first sustained stretch of production that looked like the player Atlanta drafted fourth overall in 2021.
The deal also resolves the tension in how the Falcons have built this roster. Atlanta entered the week ranked fifth in offensive line spending and 28th at quarterback — a structure that only works if the cheap quarterback’s targets are good. Paying Pitts market rate keeps the best of those targets in the building without touching the tag again next spring.
