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Falcons make decision on Kyle Pitts

Originally posted on Larry Brown Sports | By Grey Papke | Last updated Feb 23, 2026 1:47 PM ET

The Atlanta Falcons have sorted out the immediate future of tight end Kyle Pitts.

The Falcons intend to use the franchise tag on Pitts, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. The team still hopes to reach a long-term contract agreement with Pitts before the July deadline to do so.

The #Falcons are planning to franchise tag standout TE Kyle Pitts, sources say, keeping their playmaker in the fold on a 1-year, fully guaranteed deal worth more than $15M.

The hope is to work out a long-term deal rather than the tag. The two sides have until July to do it. pic.twitter.com/dwtlUbKxz7
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) February 23, 2026

Pitts would make just over $16 million next season if he plays it out on the franchise tag.

Keeping Pitts in the fold is a no-brainer for the Falcons, even though he has not quite been as impactful as they had hoped when they made him the 4th overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. He has been prone to drops during his career so far, and there were even rumors that the team might have been willing to trade him last offseason.

Pitts did have something of a rebound campaign in 2025. In a full 17-game slate, he caught a career-high 88 passes for 928 yards with five touchdowns. That sort of production at the tight end position is not easy to find, so even if he has not quite become the gamebreaker many hoped, he is still a highly effective player at his position.

This article first appeared on Larry Brown Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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