Kyle Pitts will remain with the Atlanta Falcons through 2025.
On Monday night, Atlanta exercised its fifth-year option on the former first-round pick. The Falcons had to decide on the tight end’s future by Thursday’s deadline.
Atlanta selected Pitts earlier than any tight end in NFL history when spending the No. 4 overall pick in 2021. He had all the makings of a major difference-maker after scoring 12 touchdowns in his final college season at Florida.
Pitts delivered on that promise when joining Mike Ditka as the only rookie tight end to reach 1,000 receiving yards (1,026). However, the Pro Bowler hasn’t factored as heavily into Atlanta’s offense over the last two seasons.
The 6-foot-6 pass-catcher caught 28 of 59 targets for 356 yards and two touchdowns in 10 games before a torn MCL ended his 2022 season. He improved with 667 yards and three scores on 53 receptions in 2023.
Fantasy football investors would certainly say Pitts has yet to meet the lofty hype, but that could change alongside a new quarterback.
The Falcons signed Kirk Cousins to a four-year contract after deploying Desmond Ridder and Taylor Heinicke last season. Pitts playfully offered his new teammate No. 8 in exchange for more targets, but Cousins opted for a No. 18 jersey to avoid paying for the Pitts jerseys already manufactured.
Cousins may still feed Pitts more often anyway. Although he’s entering his fourth NFL season, the 23-year-old Pitts is five months younger than the veteran quarterback’s heir apparent, 2024 No. 8 pick Michael Penix Jr.