Kyle Pitts Reportedly Gets Falcons Franchise Tag, Latest Rumors on Future Contract Extension

The Atlanta Falcons plan to use the franchise tag on tight end Kyle Pitts ahead of NFL free agency, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport:

As Rapoport noted, the "hope" is that a long-term deal ultimately gets done.

The Pitts breakout that fans have been waiting for finally arrived in the back half of the 2025 season. In his final six games, Pitts caught 39 passes for 469 yards and four touchdowns. To put those numbers in perspective, the figures represent a per 17-game average of 111 receptions, 1,329 yards and 11 touchdowns.

Pitts was exceptional overall, though, with 88 receptions, 928 yards and five touchdowns. The catch and yards numbers were second among all tight ends behind only Trey McBride of the Arizona Cardinals.

The Falcons selected Pitts with the fourth overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft. He entered the NFL with tremendous potential after a phenomenal career at Florida, where he routinely dominated the competition, to the point where he caught 12 touchdown passes in eight games during his junior year, earning All-American status to cap the campaign.

Pitts fared well in his 2021 rookie year, catching 68 passes for 1,026 yards in a Pro Bowl season. Pitts only found the end zone once, but he was third in the NFL in receiving yards among tight ends and tied for seventh in receptions. So there was certainly great hope for his future at that point.

Unfortunately, Pitts' production took a dip. He was held to 10 games during an injury-shortened 2022 season, catching just 28 passes for 356 yards and two scores. In addition, he only caught 47.5 percent of his 59 targets.

Pitts' production was about the same in 2023 and 2024. He caught 53 passes for 667 yards and three touchdowns in the former year before posting a 47/602/4 stat line in the latter season.

It was a disappointing run for the 25-year-old Pitts, but it appears that he's turned it around and showcased the talents that made him such a tantalizing talent out of Florida.

Atlanta picked up the fifth-year option on Pitts' deal during the 2024 offseason, so he had one year left on his contract heading into 2025.

The question, then, of course, was regarding Pitts' long-term future in town.

That got a touch murkier on May 30, Fox Sports' Jordan Schultz reported that "multiple teams" connected with the Falcons to talk about a trade for Kyle Pitts. However, Atlanta reportedly preferred to hold onto him.

The Falcons ended up keeping Pitts to begin the 2025 season and were rewarded.

With the Falcons seemingly set to keep Pitts for at least one more season, the two sides will now see if they can reach an agreement on a long-term deal.