The Atlanta Falcons are staying in the Kyle Pitts business. Five years after making Pitts the highest-drafted tight end in league history at No. 4 overall, the Falcons on Tuesday re-signed the 6-foot-6-, 250-pounder to a three-year, $54 million contract extension, according to his agency.Pitts is now the third-highest paid tight end in the NFL in terms of average annual value at $18 million. He falls in line behind The San Francisco 49ers’ George Kittle ($19.1 million) and the Arizona Cardinals’ Trey McBride ($19 million).An extension for Pitts, 25, was anything but a foregone conclusion at the beginning of the offseason.First-year general manager Ian Cunningham placed the franchise tag on Pitts in February, which locked in the tight end to play this season on a one-year, $15 million deal, but Cunningham never ruled out the possibility of trading Pitts if the right offer came along. However, first-year Falcons head coach Kevin Stefanski expressed optimism about Pitts’ potential in his offense.“He’s a great young man. I have enjoyed being around him,” Stefanski said. “You guys have seen the same things I’ve seen on the field and on film and the type of player he is, but just getting to know the person has been pretty special.”In five seasons with the Falcons, Pitts showed flashes of the talent that caused ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper to label him the No. 2 overall prospect in his draft class behind only quarterback Trevor Lawrence. Pitts delivered a then-NFL tight end rookie record 1,026 receiving yards in his first season in the league and then had a 928-yard season with a career-high 88 receptions and five touchdowns last season, but the three years have been rocky.Pitts suffered an MCL injury in 2022 that seemed to linger into 2023 and he averaged 542 yards and three touchdown catches from 2022-2024.However, since being drafted, Pitts is still fourth in the NFL among tight ends with 3,579 receiving yards and is coming off a solid season that he’s hoping to build on.“You never arrive,” Pitts said near the close of Atlanta’s 2025 season. “Each year you keep getting better. I’m on the younger side, so there’s a lot of growing to do.”The Falcons have now locked up Pitts, as well as star wide receiver Drake London this offseason. Next on their to-do list could be running back Bijan Robinson.Jun 23, 2026Connections: Sports EditionSpot the pattern. Connect the termsFind the hidden link between sports terms