ATLANTA — The Atlanta Falcons and tight end Kyle Pitts agreed to a three-year contract extension worth $54 million on June 23, 2026. The deal includes $36 million in fully guaranteed money and keeps Pitts with the team through the 2028 season.

The contract carries an average annual value of $18 million, ranking Pitts as the third-highest paid tight end in the NFL behind George Kittle ($19.1 million) and Trey McBride ($19 million). The $36 million in full guarantees exceeds the previous record for the position held by Kittle by $1 million.

Pitts had been designated with the franchise tag for the 2026 season, valued at $15,045,000. The agreement was finalized before the July 15, 2026 deadline for signed extensions.

In the 2025 season, Pitts recorded 88 receptions for 928 yards and five touchdowns. Both his reception and yardage totals ranked second among NFL tight ends. His performance included a 10-catch, 165-yard, three-touchdown game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on December 11, 2025. Pitts earned Second Team All-Pro honors for the 2025 campaign.

From 2021 through 2025, Pitts accumulated 3,579 career receiving yards, the fourth-most among tight ends in that span behind George Kittle, Travis Kelce, and Mark Andrews. He recorded 1,026 receiving yards in 2021, becoming the first rookie tight end to surpass 1,000 yards since Mike Ditka in 1961, and made the Pro Bowl following that season. While he led all Falcons pass catchers with 928 yards in 2025, he did not reach 700 receiving yards in the 2022, 2023, or 2024 seasons.

Pitts has started 72 of 78 career games. He played in 10 games in 2022 but appeared in every game for Atlanta in 2021, 2023, 2024, and 2025. His 17-game season averages are 98 targets, 62 receptions, 780 yards, and three touchdowns. Pitts, 25, plays for head coach Kevin Stefanski and general manager Ian Cunningham. The Falcons have missed the playoffs for eight consecutive seasons.