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Falcons Firing Could Lead to Top-Five Pick’s Departure

Originally posted on Last Word On Sports
By David Latham | Last updated Jan 5, 2026 2:00 PM ET

The Atlanta Falcons fired former head coach Raheem Morris yesterday, and impending free agent Kyle Pitts isn’t happy about the change. After a disastrous start to the season, the Falcons finished the season by winning four straight games, but that wasn’t enough to earn Morris another year at the helm. Pitts is one of many players who vouched for the former head coach, and this move could lead to Pitts leaving in free agency.

Kyle Pitts Could Leave Falcons After Raheem Morris Firing

Widely considered to be a generational talent coming out of college, Kyle Pitts finally played up to his top-five draft capital in 2025. Working with an underwhelming Michael Penix and a past-his-prime Kirk Cousins, the Florida product finished his fifth year in the league with 88 receptions for 928 yards and five touchdowns, establishing himself as one of the game’s top receiving tight ends. He should have a massive market, and any of the following four teams could steal him from the Falcons.

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4. Kansas City Chiefs

Future Hall of Fame tight end Travis Kelce may have played his last game with the Kansas City Chiefs. The 11-time Pro Bowler is arguably the greatest tight end in NFL history, but he’ll be 37 next year and has lost a step since his prime. He openly flirted with retirement last year, is engaged to pop icon Taylor Swift, and has a lucrative post-playing career lined up. If he hangs it up, Kyle Pitts is easily the best choice to replace him.

The biggest hurdle is the money. Kansas City is currently $52.7 million over the salary cap, which means they must restructure contracts and cut players before they can even think of adding someone like Pitts. While the former top-five pick would be an ideal fit in this offense, the Chiefs might not have the money to make a signing happen.

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3. Tennessee Titans

Cam Ward may or may not be a franchise quarterback, but the first-overall pick did enough for Titans fans to feel comfortable about his future. With that being said, he’ll never reach his ceiling with his current supporting cast. The Titans have the worst group of pass-catchers in the NFL, and Tennessee must do something to give Ward a fighting chance next year.

Kyle Pitts is arguably the best pass-catching free agent likely to hit the market, and the Titans should prioritize him. While he will cost a pretty penny, Tennessee has over $105 million in cap space, so they should be able to sign him without impacting their ability to add more weapons around Ward.

Main Photo: [Denny Simmons/The Tennessean] Imagn Images

2. Carolina Panthers

The Carolina Panthers are playoff-bound, but that doesn’t mean they’re ready to seriously compete for a Super Bowl. At 8-9, the Panthers are one of the worst playoff teams in recent memory, and they must bolster their roster if they want to repeat as NFC South champions next year. Bryce Young will have at least one more year under center, and Kyle Pitts can help this offense reach new heights.

Seeing as they share a division with him, the Panthers should know what Pitts brings to the table and how they can best use his skills in the offense. Carolina has two legitimate weapons in first-round pick Tetairoa McMillan and former undrafted free agent Jalen Coker, but they could use an upgrade at tight end.

1. New England Patriots

The jury is still out on whether or not Drake Maye will win MVP this year, but nobody can deny how much the second-year quarterback has impacted the future of this franchise. Maye is already one of the game’s elite passers, and New England is still years away from handing out a record-setting extension. With this in mind, the Patriots must capitalize on this Super Bowl window by going all-out in free agency.

With all due respect to the ever-reliable Hunter Henry, the Patriots have not had a truly dangerous tight end since the Rob Gronkowski days . Kyle Pitts is no Gronkowski, but the former top-five pick could put up career numbers with Maye and offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels.