Falcons sign Kyle Pitts to record-setting $54 million extension

The Atlanta Falcons have agreed to a three-year, $54 million contract extension with tight end Kyle Pitts Sr., making it the largest three-year deal for a tight end in NFL history. The agreement, announced Tuesday by Pitts' agency, Athletes First, replaces the franchise tag he signed earlier this offseason and keeps him with the Falcons through the 2028 season. The contract includes $36 million in fully guaranteed salary over the next two years.

Pitts, 25, entered the NFL as the No. 8 overall pick in the 2021 draft and delivered a career-best performance in 2025, recording 88 receptions for 928 yards and five touchdowns. He ranked second among tight ends in both catches and receiving yards. His standout season included a three-touchdown game in Atlanta's 29-28 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on December 11.

The extension is part of a broader effort by the Falcons to lock in their offensive core. Earlier this month, the team signed wide receiver Drake London to a four-year, $141 million contract. With both Pitts and London secured, the Falcons can now focus on extending star running back Bijan Robinson. The moves come as Atlanta prepares for training camp with quarterbacks Tua Tagovailoa and Michael Penix Jr. competing for the starting job.

Pitts' new deal carries an average annual value of $18 million, placing him third among the NFL's highest-paid tight ends behind San Francisco's George Kittle ($19.1 million) and Arizona's Trey McBride ($19 million). Head coach Kevin Stefanski has praised Pitts' work ethic and versatility, noting that the tight end's ability to line up in multiple positions makes him a valuable weapon for the offense. "The physical skill set is obvious when Kyle's on the field, with how big he is and how he moves," Stefanski said during OTAs. "But I've been impressed with what we're asking him to do."