Kyle Pitts, Falcons Reportedly Agree to Historic Contract Extension Ahead of 2026 NFL Season

After signing the franchise tender early in the offseason, Kyle Pitts and the Atlanta Falcons have agreed to terms on a new contract.

According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, Pitts landed a three-year, $54 million contract that includes $36 million guaranteed, making it the largest three-year contract for a tight end in league history.

The Falcons used the franchise tag to retain Pitts ahead of free agency. He signed the one-year tender worth a guaranteed $15 million on April 7.

In addition to ensuring his $15 million salary for the 2026 season, Pitts and the Falcons had until July 15 to negotiate a long-term extension.

When the Falcons originally placed the tag on Pitts, NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported the two sides hoped to work out a long-term deal rather than have him play on the one-year tender.

Pitts was negotiating from a position of leverage coming off his best season since he was a rookie in 2021. The 25-year-old caught a career-high 88 passes for 928 yards and five touchdowns.

The Falcons had issues trying to figure out their quarterback room in 2025. Michael Penix Jr. entered the year as the starter before suffering a partially torn ACL that ended his season after Week 11.

Kirk Cousins finished the year as Atlanta's starting quarterback, but he was released in the offseason. Tua Tagovailoa was signed as a free agent to be the backup to Penix.

Pitts, Drake London and Bijan Robinson are all dynamic talents who can be the driving force for a top-tier offense if the Falcons can find the right quarterback to take advantage of their skill sets.

There's still plenty of work for the Falcons to do building their roster as they look to become a playoff contender in the NFC, but getting a deal done with Pitts ensures they can keep one key member of the main core around for years to come.